A Unique Encounter at the Seattle Transfer Station

At Wheeler Painting and Restoration Services, we’ve encountered all sorts of funny, strange, and downright unexpected situations over the past 33 years. While we never go looking for unusual experiences, offering painting and construction services in Seattle for decades naturally brings a few stories worth sharing. From curious job site surprises to fascinating encounters at the local transfer station, our team has seen it all.

One of the more interesting tasks we handle regularly is disposing of job site debris at Seattle-area transfer stations. Every visit seems to come with its own story—whether it’s about someone not following the rules, an odd item being thrown away, or just something unusual happening. Typically, one of our key employees handles these “dump runs” since he’s equipped with the truck and trailer to get the job done. He usually goes first thing in the morning when the transfer station opens, drops off the debris, then heads back to our office to pick up new supplies or assignments for the day.

But one morning, things took an unexpected turn.

A couple of years ago, one of our employees headed to the transfer station as usual, planning to dump his load and then return to pick up materials for a job site. Hours passed and I realized he hadn’t returned yet. This was unusual. I gave him a quick call—no answer. So, I sent a text asking, “Everything OK?” He replied after a short delay with, “Yep, I’ll be a few more minutes.” Not thinking much of it, I carried on with my day.

Another hour passed, and still, no sign of him. I texted again but received no response. Concerned but not alarmed, I checked with the job foreman to see if maybe he had gone directly to the site. But no, no one had seen or heard from him.

At this point, I started to worry—did the truck break down? Was there an accident? Just as I was about to dig deeper, our employee finally showed up. Both he and the truck were in good shape, so naturally, I asked what had caused the delay.

It turns out that our employee arrived at the transfer station just in time to witness an unusual event: a memorial service. The previous week, a gentleman had suffered a heart attack while dumping debris at the station and tragically passed away after falling into the trash pit. The man was of the Buddhist faith, and on that particular morning, there was a ceremony to honor his spirit’s transition to the afterlife.

The transfer station had agreed to a brief service, but it ended up being a longer process. In a show of respect, our employee stepped out of his truck and stood silently through the ceremony. Not being of the Buddhist faith himself, he wasn’t sure what to do but chose to honor the moment with quiet reflection.

This was a first for any of us at Wheeler Painting and Restoration Services—attending a memorial service at a transfer station or witnessing a Buddhist ceremony. Although the unexpected two-hour delay was puzzling at first, I couldn’t have been prouder of our team. Our employees aren’t just skilled craftsmen who take pride in their work; they’re individuals with integrity who are willing to pause and honor life’s important moments, even when it involves someone they’ve never met or a belief system they don’t personally follow.

At Wheeler Painting and Restoration Services, we believe every day brings something new. As we continue to serve Seattle and the surrounding areas, we embrace these unexpected experiences, always striving to deliver the highest quality service with professionalism and heart.

Until the next story from our adventures, be well and do good.