Story of Toll Collector Fired For Paying Toll Goes Viral

The story of a beloved toll collector who was fired for paying someone’s toll struck such a chord with people that it went viral on YouTube and became a top trending topic on Facebook, and now messages of support are pouring in.

Vladislav Samsonov, called Sam by his friends and supporters, spent 29 years working as a toll collector in Florida. He is known as a sweet, friendly guy who gave suckers to children and occasionally chipped in if a driver didn’t have enough money for the toll.

He was fired last week for paying $5 toward someone’s toll instead if writing them a ticket. “In my eyes there was no crime committed, I just helped somebody out,” he says.

Sam had been working in the toll booth for so long that he was giving candy to the children of people he gave candy to when they were kids. Now those families are rallying to support him along with people from across the country, leaving dozens of angry Facebook comments on the original story.

He admitted to being asked not to cover people’s tolls before, but said he was never written up for it. His friends and family are now checking to see if any state laws were violated.