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'Exhausted like a dog': Delivery driver breaks down mid-shift, shares daily ordeal
A viral video features a Chinese delivery driver breaking down in tears, revealing the emotional toll of gig work.
A heartbreaking video of a delivery driver in China breaking down in tears mid-shift has gained widespread attention on social media. The viral clip sheds light on the intense physical and emotional toll of gig economy work. The man, wearing a yellow delivery uniform and helmet, sobs uncontrollably as he shares the exhausting reality of his daily life.
He claimed that his job left him tired every day after working 10 hours a day, and he had no way of getting rest. "Now I deliver food for 10 hours a day, exhausted like a dog, and I don't dare slack off even for a second, because the moment I do, life punishes me with an empty stomach. How could I not feel anxious?" he says in the clip.
The man repents for not working hard while he studied and shares his regret of dropping out of school. "If you give me another chance, I would definitely study hard instead of dropping out at such an early age," he says, between sobs.
He adds that he was stubborn and dropped out of school despite his teachers' warnings. The constant physical exhaustion and stress did not allow him to provide for his parents.
"I can't give my parents the life they deserve, I can't even live the life the way I want either. It breaks my heart. But who can I even talk to about it?" he says.
The delivery driver's story struck a chord with many online. Last year, a man working as a delivery driver in China died while napping on his bike after working an 18-hour shift. His friends claimed that the man was the sole breadwinner and sometimes slept only 3 hours before going back to work.
