“When I started working here, I felt her spirit. I felt at home.”
Andre White, a third-generation McGregor employee, proudly serves at McGregor PACE as a Driver.
Like his grandmother, Ruth Forrest, and his aunt, Levonia Jones, who came before him, Andre has given much of his life to our mission of “serving seniors in need and those who serve them.”
Andre visited the McGregor Home often throughout his childhood, usually to attend events with his grandmother, who worked as a Nursing Aid at the Home. “Back then, it was just what we now know as the Independent Living building, surrounded by a forest,” Andre said. Andre also remembers being blown away by how much everyone, residents and staff alike, loved his grandmother. Someday, he hoped to be just like her.
Andre took the opportunity to follow in his grandmother’s footsteps four years ago, in the summer of 2019. Ever since, to live out McGregor’s mission everyday means nothing more or less than keeping his grandmother’s legacy alive.
“I honor my grandmother’s legacy by being attentive to the needs of all passengers,” Andre said. “I greet them every day as they get on the bus.” Andre also strives to know his passengers’ names, know what’s going on in each of his passengers’ lives, and to help people whenever he senses a need that isn’t being met. “I get very attached to them,” he said. “One passed away recently and I was close enough to attend her funeral.”
Andre specified that he has stayed at McGregor because he feels the spirit of his grandmother alive here, which makes him feel at home. “It’s the twilight years for a great many of our people here. But if there’s anything I can do to make their last days special, I’ll do it. That’s what she would have done.”
Andre plans to remain at McGregor until he retires. Until then, he proudly is referred to as our very own “3G McG” Employee.