Rochester Locals Unite to Support Second Street Joe

Ask visitors what they’ll remember about Rochester, Minnesota, and chances are they’ll mention the Mayo Clinic, the Ear of Corn water tower, and the man with the flags.

The man with the flags is Second Street Joe, and it’s impossible to measure the impact he’s had on the community. For more than 20 years, Joe has brightened people’s days by waving flags at commuters on Second Street near Saint Marys Hospital. Now, as Christmas approaches, locals are rallying to return some kindness to Joe.

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My family loves seeing Joe and honking when we pass by him, but construction has kept us off our usual route, so we haven't been able to see him in quite some time. Despite the road work, he's still out there making people smile, and he's always popping up at community events like parades and festivals.

Why Does 2nd Street Joe Wave Flags in Rochester, MN?

Joe began dancing and waving flags on Memorial Day after a series of extremely difficult moments in his life. His father, an Army veteran, had passed away. He had lost custody of his son. And his ex-girlfriend had been killed in a car crash.

Devastated, Joe found an unexpected sense of purpose when he came across some flags in his apartment. It was Memorial Day, and he wanted to honor his late father. He took the flags outside and began to wave them, and that simple decision changed the course of his life.

People driving along Second Street that day immediately noticed Joe and his flags. They honked, waved, and cheered, and Joe kept going. He waved those flags for 14 hours straight.

A GoFundMe to Support Second Street Joe

Now he does it every day, saying, “I wave to make people smile.” Joe has become a local legend with a community that absolutely adores him. Today, people are coming together to support Joe's GoFundMe campaign.

Dean Riggot organizes a GoFundMe for Joe each year around the holidays. Riggot explained, Joe isn't able to work and gets by on very little assistance that pays his bills. The money raised helps Joe pay for food and other essential items.