By Annie Nielson The Stillwater mine site

Sam Gallup, a miner from New York, left his home to go to Montana with the hopeful prospect of starting over at a new job with the Stillwater Mining Co. After one shift, Sam received a heart breaking phone call informing him that he had been laid off. After coming home from work one night, he listened to a voicemail message on his cellphone. The recorded voice said he was out of work. Once again.

"I was a little upset," he said in an even tone. "The fellow that called, he apologized several times, but that was it."

Gallup was previously employed by the St. Lawrence Zinc company in upstate New York and in August was laid off. He was then recruited by Stillwater, along with several of his other co-workers, who were willing to relocate for work.

"I packed up everything I owned in my car and drove out here," he said from Montana.

"Took me three days. Then I drove two hours to work, two hours home, with a 10-hour shift between."

Stillwater, reportedly, has laid off 500 employees, reducing their workforce from its original 1,770. Gallup is now living in a friend's basement and looking to move his fiance and her son to Montana. He plans of continuing his job hunt and is optimistic about his future plans.

He was back on the job hunt Thursday - and optimistic about the future.

"You've gotta keep your head up," Gallup said. "Life is a garden. You gotta dig it."