What Safeway shoppers have known for years the rest of the world is figuring out.

James O'Neal is remarkable.

"It's me, and I'm not going to let nothing stop me," said O'Neal when we first met him last week.

"He's not hiding himself away like a lot of people might, he's an inspiration," said customer Cindy Diehl as she made her way through O'Neal's checkout line.

When given the option to work anywhere in the Kirkland Safeway store, O'Neal chose the register.

"Kids would say what's that and he would say that's how God made me, that's me. He was right out front, very open with it," said Safeway checker Ed Deane.

That's how O'Neal approaches every day. He was born with a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis and everyone who hears his story wants to help him.

We've received hundreds of e-mails and thousands of dollars in donations.

Ten-year-old Logan donated all his birthday money to O'Neal -- $40. In an email his parents told me Logan saw O'Neal on TV while he was celebrating his birthday and decided on the spot he wanted to "pay if forward."

It seems Logan started a trend, his parents and grandparents were inspired to match his donation. Thanks to all the Logans in the world.

O'Neal is on vacation, but told me by phone he's honored and stunned.

"I'm not sure what made me do it, but it felt like the right thing to do," said Darren Skriver.

He saw our Problem Solver report too and recognized an old friend. Skriver contacted me immediately.

"It's inspirational to me," said Skriver.

It's been seven years since Darren has seen James, but insists he will always be family.

The two worked for 14 years on race cars and the Northwest Racing Community is now raising money for reconstructive surgery.

Skriver will be selling raffle tickets at the Pacific Raceways in Kent at the ASA Northwest Tour Bluewater Wireless Road Course Challenge this Friday and Saturday. All the proceeds will go to help O'Neal.

"We want to change his life," said fundraising campaign manager and shopper Katie Knopf.
It was Knopf's idea to start raising money. She created a Web site to collect donations:

We wanted to help, too, and set up a Problem Solver Fund. So far the Problem Solvers Fund and Knopf's' group has raised more than $60,000.

"This is an amazing amount, we would never have guessed to gain that much money," said Knopf.

An amazing amount and a remarkable message for a remarkable man.