Get a Peek at One of the Last Remaining Professional Elevator Operators

Remember when the elevator was operated by an actual human who would say “hello” and ask which floor you wanted to go to? Well, even though nearly all of the hand-operated elevators left in the United States have been made automatic now, there remain here and there a few buildings where a friendly face greets you and gets you to your floor. One of these faces belongs to Ruben Pardo, who has been working the elevator in the Wilshire Tower for the past four decades. This optimistic man gives us a few insights into his perspective on the world and what it means to really work hard. Employed six days a week in this gorgeous Art Deco building, Pardo adds a certain liveliness to the day for all the passengers who ride in his elevator. Have a look as this sweet man who gives new life to dying profession.