Chicago

Mike Seay Gets OfficeMax Junk Mail Referencing Daughter Killed In Car Crash (PHOTO)

OfficeMax Apologizes After Sending Grieving Father Terrible Letter
|

OfficeMax has apologized to a suburban Chicago man after the company sent him a letter referencing the death of his daughter, Ashley, who was killed in a car crash last year.

Mike Seay of Lindenhurst, Ill. received the piece of mail Thursday that listed in the address line below his name: "Daughter Killed in Car Crash."

"Why would they have that type of information? Why would they need that?" Seay told NBC. "What purpose does it serve anybody to know that? And how much other types of other information do they have if they have that on me, or anyone else? And how do they use that, what do they use that for?"

Seay, 46, told the Los Angeles Times in a phone interview Sunday, "I’m not a big OfficeMax customer. And I wouldn’t have gone there and said anything to anybody there about it [the car crash]. That’s not their business."

Seay said his wife was "traumatized" by the mailing, and after he called OfficeMax Friday, a manager at a call center refused to believe he actually received a mailing addressed in such a way. Still, Seay said he's not interested in suing the company -- he just wanted an apology.

OfficeMax initially issued a statement apologizing to the Seays and blaming the mistake on "a mailing list rented through a third-party provider."

Seay's niece told NBC an executive with OfficeMax called the family 9:30 p.m. Sunday to personally apologize.

Gawker's automobile news and gossip site Jalopnik noted that while news of Ashley's death was public information (and widely-reported in Chicagoland last year), the fact that the info made its way onto a piece of junk mail serves as "a cruel reminder of how personal information is sold bought and sold for marketing purposes today."

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

10 Out-Of-Touch Moments In Corporate America's History
BP CEO Tony Hayward: I Want My Life Back(01 of10)
Open Image Modal
Talk about insensitive. In the wake of the BP Gulf Coast oil spill, which disrupted the lives of countless Americans, Tony Hayward, former chief executive of oil and energy company BP, had the nerve to try and elicit sympathy. "I'd like my life back," the millionaire CEO said. (credit:AP)
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein: Fiscal Cliff Is Like World War II(02 of10)
Open Image Modal
Lloyd Blankfein equated the fiscal cliff debacle to World War II when he said: "There have been times in our history when I know the business community was very, very engaged in the affairs of our country and added a particular area of expertise that was valued at that time." That's fine, but then he added: "For example in the war, when it came time to increase production, of course the CEOs came down." (credit:Getty Images)
Walmart CEO Mike Duke: We Pay Competitive Wages(03 of10)
Open Image Modal
While Walmart workers protested over low wages and benefits, Mike Duke said, "Retailing is the most competitive industry out there, and we do pay competitive wages." The average wage for a Walmart staffer is $8.81 per hour, barely more than the minimum wage in some states. (credit:AP)
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: I'm Going To Kill Google(04 of10)
Open Image Modal
Caught at a particularly tense moment, Steve Ballmer said of Google CEO Eric Schmidt: "I'm going to f--king bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to f--king kill Google," according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Microsoft is by no means killing Google. In fact, as of market close on February 7, Microsoft shares were trading at $27.28 per share versus Google's $773.95 per share. (credit:AP)
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon: Regulating Wall Street Pay Is Like Communism (05 of10)
Open Image Modal
Jamie Dimon said that regulating Wall Street pay could put the U.S. on the road to communism: "If you don't want a free society, then start dictating what compensation can be." (credit:AP)
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan: Fees Provide Great Service (06 of10)
Open Image Modal
Customer service definitely isn't one of Bank of America's strengths. But that didn't stop Brian Moynihan from telling ABC News that a proposed $5 debit card purchase fee “is meant to provide a great service". The bank ultimately ditched the controversial plan. (credit:Getty Images)
Donald Trump: We Need Global Warming! (07 of10)
Open Image Modal
On a particularly cold night in New York, Donald Trump tweeted, "It's freezing and snowing in New York--we need global warming!" You're in luck, Donald. (credit:Shutterstock)
Whole Foods CEO John Mackey: Obamacare Is Like Fascism (08 of10)
Open Image Modal
John Mackey, the CEO Of Whole Foods and a longtime critic of Obamacare, had this to say of the president's health care reform: "It's more like fascism... In fascism, the government doesn't own the means of production, but they do control it -- and that's what's happening with our health care programs and these reforms." (credit:AP)
Research In Motion Co-Founder Mike Lazaridis: iPhone's Are Hard To Type On(09 of10)
Open Image Modal
In an attempt to take a hit at rival phone maker Apple, Lazaridis said: "Try typing a web key on a touchscreen on an Apple iPhone, that's a real challenge. You cannot see what you type," according to Business Insider. Um, have you ever even picked up an iPhone, buddy? (credit:AP)
Billionaire Ted Turner: I'm On The Edge Of Poverty (10 of10)
Open Image Modal
Trying to explain just how much money he gives away to charity, Ted Turner once said he was "almost to the edge of poverty." Turner has a net worth of $2 billion, according to Forbes. (credit:Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip