A beloved Walgreens employee, known affectionately as “Pharmacist Bob,” received an unexpected farewell gift of $6,000 on Saturday, organized by an 11-year-old boy and dedicated customers ahead of the closure of his Massachusetts store, New York Post reports.
Bob Hesselberg has served as the pharmacist at the Walgreens on Boston Post Road in Weston for over 30 years. He is set to relocate to another Walgreens location in Waltham next month, prompting the heartfelt sendoff, as reported by CBS Boston.
Aarav Khanna, the young boy who spearheaded the celebration, has developed a connection with Hesselberg due to the proximity of the store to his school bus stop.
“I’ve seen the amount of kindness and hard work he puts into his job,” Khanna explained.
He successfully raised approximately $6,000 to present to Hesselberg as a gesture of gratitude. In addition to the monetary gift, a young girl contributed a handmade card expressing her appreciation.
“It’s humbling. I can’t believe it. It’s amazing,” said Hesselberg.
He reflected on the surprise gift. At 75 years old, he expressed his desire to continue working.
“I don’t want to retire. I’m not ready for it,” Hesselberg stated.
Local resident Carol Ott, who attended the gathering, praised Hesselberg’s warm and personal approach to customer service.
“You walk in, he not only greets you by name, but he wants to know how your family is, and how is that medication you had last time, and how are you doing? And he means it,” she remarked.
This touching moment comes amid significant cutbacks by Walgreens, which plans to close 1,200 stores over the next three years due to financial challenges. Hesselberg expressed his gratitude to the crowd.
“I’m gonna miss everybody. And I’m very grateful for all of this. Thank you so much,” he said.
