Happy Flagger is a ray of sunshine

For months, people who live or travel along Route 24 between the Mulberry Knoll Road traffic signal and Love Creek have had to endure construction as the road is widened.

Dust, noise, delays and closings have been the order the day. Yet, in the midst of it all, someone has emerged to add a ray of sunshine, a man who has created quite a sensation.

Akin Corbitt, 49, known to residents as the Happy Flagger, has been doing his job and much more as he greets motorists with waves and smiles. Over the past six months, many residents have stopped and talked with him when he's not busy. 

“I’ve always waved and smiled to people,” Corbitt said. “My job is to keep everyone safe and to be happy.”

And while he proudly wears a Jesus T-shirt and always smiles, he has had a year of trials and tribulations, according to Lyn Mox, who lives near Angola and travels on Route 24 every day.

Corbitt, who works for American Flag Inc., lost his estranged wife this year and is raising a 4-year-old as a single dad. He also lost his home in a fire in June and is now living with his brother.

“Jesus believes in me no matter what happens,” he said. “Everyone is going through a lot.”

He has four sons, with the oldest being 28 years old. “With my daughter, I’m starting all over again. I take her to daycare, then to work, then I pick her up and pick my mom up as well,” he said. “I take care of my family, and God has been good to me.”

“We are considering a Go Fund Me page to get him back on his feet,” Mox said. “He has a hard, long job standing on his feet in the hot sun and in the cold winter.

“He's always telling everyone to have a great day and that you are loved,” Mox said. “He's joyful and really brightens up my day. He's wonderful and has a lot of positive energy. He always waves to buses and the children wave back.”

Mox said his enthusiasm and positive attitude have been contagious, and other flaggers are waving and smiling to passersby.

Corbitt, who lives in Felton, has been a flagger for nine years and loves his job.

Unfortunately, last week Corbitt was moved to a road project in Milford. Residents are hoping he returns. “I miss being on Route 24,” he said. “Now I’m trying to make the people in Milford happy.”

“We look for him and it's depressing when he's not there,” Mox said.

His actions have not gone unnoticed by his company, and Corbitt was named Flagger of the Month for his commitment to safety, dedication and pride.

Brandi Redrow, president of American Flag, said she has been inundated with phone calls about Corbitt and has seen all the social media comments. “It truly touched my heart and made me so proud. A single act of kindness really does make a difference,” she said. “It's not every day, especially in the world of construction and flagging, that hard work and efforts are acknowledged and appreciated.”

Corbitt said he’s always on call and has worked all over the state. “We all need to stop thinking about ourselves so much and think about other people. Each day we wake up because God blesses us every day,” he said.

American Flag is providing flaggers for contractor A-Del Construction on the Route 24 widening project. Redrow said they would like to keep the same flaggers working the same locations, but the nature of the work means the number of flaggers needed can vary. There is a chance Corbitt could return to the Route 24 project, she said.

The flaggers seen on many Sussex County roads are not put there and handed a sign. They must pass an American Traffic Safety Services Association Flagger Certification course.