Northwest Airlines saw fit to terminate Greg Staffa after he was hurt on the job by pointing to his weight to get out of the work comp liability. Disabled and unemployed in 2009, just as the economy was falling, proved to be too much and by the end of the year, Staffa lost his home. He spent the next several years living out of his car, and in 2010, Staffa set off on a 48-state road trip in an effort to change how people view homelessness. During the many months he was on the road, he handed out over 1,000 pairs of socks and hundreds of cups of coffee to the homeless people he encountered along the way. He also met with various homeless organizations to learn how they operate. In late 2012, Staffa was able to move into a small apartment, where he continues to look for a job in order to avoid becoming homeless once again. To his credit, he still finds time to help others. In December 2013, The St Cloud Times Newspaper named Staffa one of five unsung heroes of the St Cloud community.