Albert Lexie Explained

Albert Lexie (August 1, 1942- October 16, 2018)^[1] was a shoeshiner from Monessen, Pennsylvania, United States, who was known for his donations to charity.^[2]

Lexie worked at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh since the early 1980s.^{[3] [4]} As of February 2013, he had donated $200,000 over the course of his career to the Free Care Fund, more than a third of his lifetime salary.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Lexie built himself a shoeshine box while in eighth grade shop class at Monessen High School, the last year he attended school. In June 1999, he was awarded an honorary diploma from Monessen High School.^[8]

Lexie was recognized by People magazine's "All-Stars Among Us" program^{[9] [10]} and was honored by People and the Major League Baseball organization^[11] at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Anaheim, California, on July 13, 2010.

In 2006, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans by the Caring Institute.^{[12] [13]}

On March 12, 2012, the biography Albert's Kids: The Heroic Work of Shining Shoes for Sick Children was published by RoseDog Books and the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation.^[14]

Lexie died on October 16, 2018, at the age of 76.^[15]

See also

• Ronald Read (philanthropist)
• Dale Schroeder
• Richard Leroy Walters
• Chuck Feeney

Further reading

• "From The Heart", People Magazine. September 21, 1998 Vol. 50 No. 10
• "He Keeps Going ... and Going ... and ...", Pittsburgh Magazine. June 2010. Li, Xiaomeng.
• Courage Is Contagious: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things To Change The Face Of America. Kasich, John. pp. 233–239. Published October 19, 1999.
• Chasing Skinny Rabbits: What Leads You Into Emotional and Spiritual Exhaustion...and What Can Lead You Out. Trent, John. pp. 128–130. Published May 10, 2010.

External links

• Biography of Albert Lexie, provided by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Notes and References

1. Web site: obits. 2018-10-17. Albert P. Lexie - Monessen. 2021-11-02. The Mon Valley Independent. en-US. 2021-11-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20211102132502/https://monvalleyindependent.com/2018/10/albert-p-lexie-monessen/. live.
2. Web site: Shoe shiner donates $200K in tips to children in need - Albert Lexie has been shining shoes at Children's Hospital for 32 Years. . WTAE.COM ABC Action News 4 Pittsburgh . February 22, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130221060955/http://www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/Shoe-shiner-donates-200K-in-tips-to-children-in-need/-/10927008/19007542/-/mb6kli/-/index.html . 2013-02-21 . dead .
3. Web site: MSN - Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos. now.msn.com. 2013-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20130224212031/http://now.msn.com/albert-lexie-shoeshiner-donates-200000-dollars-to-sick-kids. 2013-02-24. dead.
4. Web site: One Shine at a Time, Shoeshiner Albert Lexie Donates Tips and Raises $100,000 for Free Care Fund at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh . 2013-02-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150622111712/http://www.chp.edu/CHP/022806 . 2015-06-22 . dead .
5. Web site: Shoe Shiner At Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Donates $200,000 In Tips . huffingtonpost.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130224061654/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/albert-lexie-donates-tips_n_2732159.html . 2013-02-24.
6. Web site: Fighting the cost of health care, one shoeshine at a time. Bob. Collins. 2013-02-21. 2013-02-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20130227193935/http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2013/02/fighting_the_cost_of_health_ca.shtml. live.
7. Web site: Salon.com.
8. "Mon Valley Shines on Lexie Day", Green County Observer-Reporter. June 22, 1999. Byron Smialek.
9. Web site: People All-Stars Among Us. Major League Baseball. 2013-02-21. 2012-11-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104191559/http://mlb.mlb.com/peopleallstarsamongus/. live.
10. Web site: Pittsburgh's Beloved Shoeshiner Honored With All-Star Game Trip. WTAE-TV Pittsburgh. 7 July 2010. YouTube. 15 May 2023. 10 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160410081336/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RGCMlRlbs8. live.
11. MLB and PEOPLE magazine announce 30 "All-Stars Among Us" after 1.7 million votes are cast . MLB Advanced Media (MLB.com) . 2012-06-28 . March 3, 2013 . 2016-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230050/http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2010/m06/d28/c11680682.jsp . live .
12. Jerome L. Sherman. (October 18, 2006). Monessen shoe shiner honored for giving $113,000 to charity Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Web site: Archived copy . July 7, 2016 . August 25, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160825185341/http://www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/2006/10/18/Monessen-shoe-shiner-honored-for-giving-113-000-to-charity/stories/200610180185 . bot: unknown .
13. Web site: Institute recognizes 13 caring Americans of all ages. USATODAY.com. 2013-02-21. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091149/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-16-caring-awards_x.htm. live.
14. News: Children's Hospital Shoe Shine Man Tells Story In New Book . 2012-06-26 . CBS Pittsburgh . March 3, 2013 . Crawley, Dave . 2013-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130304192351/http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/06/26/childrens-hospital-shoe-shine-man-tells-story-in-new-book/ . live .
15. News: 'A True Legend': Children's Hospital Beloved 'Shoeshine Man' Dies At Age Of 76 . 16 October 2018 . 16 October 2018 . en . 16 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016214611/https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/10/16/childrens-hospital-shoeshine-man-albert-lexie-dies/ . live .