Bulldog star hungry for a victory
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EAST PALESTINE -- East Palestine senior RJ May was grabbing national attention a long time before he was touchdown passes.
The Bulldogs record-setting receiver's story of taking his dad's van as an 8-year-old and driving his 4-year-old sister to the East Palestine McDonald's to get a cheeseburger made news across the country in 2017.
"I guess it's something I've tried to forget," May said. "It's something I'm going to have to live with the rest of my life."
He said he hears about it almost weekly.
"It gets brought up all the time," May said. "And then the videos go around on TikTok and stuff."
The story gets better because May works at the same McDonald's.
"It's funny," he said. "I definitely think it's ironic. It's fun to laugh at."
He said two of the current managers were working at the East Palestine McDonald's then.
"One of the managers I work with and I'm friends with, she was working that night," May said. "It's pretty funny. The thing I heard most was, 'Do you remember driving here at 8 years old?'"
It was around 8 p.m. on a Sunday in April 2017 when May's parents were sleeping and he was hungry for a cheeseburger. He watched a YouTube video to learn how to drive. He was able to reach the keys, got money from his piggy bank and took his sister along to McDonald's.
The family lived about a mile away on the other side of the train tracks. Police soon were getting calls about a young boy driving in town. He made the journey safely, obeying all traffic laws, and made his order at McDonald's before police arrived.
"I don't remember really driving there, but I do remember pulling up there," May said.
Police even commended the young boy for his driving. May said it was the only time he drove until getting his learner's permit.
May and his sister got a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets and fries while waiting for family to pick them up.
"I did get in a little bit of trouble, but I think my parents were more starstruck than mad at me," he said. "They didn't really know how to punish me for it."
Police did not release the name of the driver, but there are never any secrets in East Palestine.
"Everyone who lived in town knew about it," May said. "I made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes and does stupid stuff when they're kids and are young. You hope they aren't serious and you learn from them."
He said he hopes that isn't what he is remembered for when he graduates from East Palestine High School.
"I hope people remember me as resilient," he said. "Someone who can take a punch and get back up and hit you harder."
When people search East Palestine online for the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment and the August arrest of San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York in a prostitution sting, May's drive to McDonald still comes up.
"I don't get too bothered about that stuff," he said. "We're getting a bad rep here, but it's a great town."
May knows it won't be long until it's brought up again.
"Probably tomorrow," he said.
BULLDOG NOTES
• Little sister, Maggie May, is now an East Palestine eighth grader.
RJ said she doesn't hear about the night drive to McDonald's like he does.
"She wasn't the one doing it," he said. "She's a very good sister. She is very supportive in everything. She helps me out with a lot of stuff."
• May has been working at McDonald's for about a year and a half.
"It helps me make money because I also have a son," he said. "I like to do it though."
He said he is working about 25 hours a week during the school year after about 50 hours a week during the summer.
"The thing I love about McDonald's is they do a good job of working with my schedule," he said.
• The Bulldogs are thankful for that. May had two touchdowns catches in a 38-7 win at Wellsville last Friday, giving him a school-record 26 touchdown receptions in his career. He also is closing in on the career yards receiving record.
"Freshmen will come in here and look up on the record board and see my name," May said. "I think records are made to be broken. I want people to see those records and be like, 'I want to try to get that.'"
This season May has a team-high 27 catches for 495 yards (18.3) and eight touchdowns for the 4-2 Bulldogs. He also is the second-leading rusher with 216 yards and one touchdown on 40 carries (5.4).
• East Palestine hosts United tonight in a showdown of EOAC unbeatens.
"Without a doubt, other than Columbiana, this is the biggest one on our schedule," May said. "They are the best-coached team that we'll see all year, other than Columbiana. Coach Ogilvie has been doing it forever and he's a great guy. He's very well respected in their community.
"Even though our coaches are new to our program, they are really great. They are giving us the tools we need going into Friday night to come out with a victory."
• May said he has been called RJ his whole life.
"Nobody knows my name," said Roger James May.
He said he was named after his grandfathers -- Roger May and Jim Young, a longtime East Palestine coach.
The last time someone called him by his given name, he said it was an eighth-grader at a track meet in Wellsville.
"I won the 100 and they were announcing the times and they said Roger May for the winning time," RJ said. "I was really mad because that's not what I am called."