Lydia Hinds, now 82, wrote to me back in 2024 about how she worked part-time at Home Depot after a series of mistakes and unfortunate events. Her business closed at the start of the pandemic, and much of her and her husband’s money never came back after the 2008 recession. She also said she had heart failure, which made her job much more challenging. Lydia’s daughter doesn’t speak with her, and they had no other people to rely on financially.
Over the course of a few months, I got to know Lydia and her husband, Bill, before making the three-hour trip to central Connecticut, where I spent two days with them. I shadowed Lydia at work and spoke with her coworkers, ate dinner with them at their home, and drove with Bill to a doctor’s appointment. I was joined by a photographer, who captured them in their moments of vulnerability, joy, and uncertainty.
The story resonated far and wide. Leading experts in the aging and retirement space reached out to share their praise, calling the story “magnificent” and “heartbreaking.” Dozens of workers in similar situations shared their stories candidly. Younger readers wrote to me that they hoped to never be in her situation.
Since the article came out, Lydia stopped working for Home Depot as her condition worsened and has invested most of her time in founding an online business selling funny gift cards, bags, and clothes.
Read the full story here
