Albert Lexie, owner of a one-man shoeshine business who donated $202,000 in tips to the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, died Oct. 16 due to an undisclosed health condition, according to NPR.
Every Tuesday and Thursday for more than three decades, Mr. Lexie walked, hitch-hiked or took a bus an hour and a half to the hospital. From 1982 to his retirement in 2013, Mr. Lexie polished shoes for physicians, executives and other staff members at the facility. He would charge them anywhere from $2 to $5, constantly making small donations to the hospital's Free Care Fund, which gives financial assistance for under- or uninsured children.
When Mr. Lexie retired in December 2013, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh reported his contributions to the Free Care Fund totaled $202,000.
The hospital recognized his "giving spirit" on several occasions. In 2010, Mr. Lexie was featured in People magazine for the service he provided to his community. He was also honored by Major League Baseball during an "All Starts Among Us" ceremony and appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Jane Pauley Show" and "CBS Evening News."
"His kindness and generosity were and continue to be an inspiration for all of us," Christopher Gessner, president of the hospital, said in a statement. "He represented the true spirit of volunteerism and philanthropy, and the contributions he made to the hospital far exceeded the tips he donated."
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