BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) — Ed Bambas will soon finish his last can of corn.
The 88-year-old Michigan grocery store worker received a massive check for $1.7 million on Friday, the result of a high-profile fundraising campaign launched by a young Australian man with a large social media following.
“No, no,” Bambas sobbed, wiping tears in front of reporters. “Thank you. Oh my god.”
Sam Weidenhofer, 22, used his powerful platform to spread goodwill and money during a visit to the United States.
He met Bambas about two weeks ago at a Meijer store in Brighton, Michigan, and recorded a TikTok video for his 7.7 million followers in which the GM retiree explained why he was still working as he approached 90 after his wife, Joan, died of chronic illness in 2018.
“I don’t have enough income,” Bambas said in the video.
Weidenhofer then launched an online GoFundMe campaign urging people to help Bambas.
“His story is a stark reminder that too many of our seniors, especially veterans, face incredible challenges just to survive,” said Weidenhoff, from Melbourne, Australia, who has more than 10 million followers on various social media sites.
The response was dizzying: More than 15,000 people donated in amounts ranging from $10 to $10,000.
“It means a terrible burden,” Bambas told reporters jokingly. “I have to go to everyone and say, ‘Thank you.'”
He said he started working at Meijer, a large store that sold groceries, clothes and other merchandise, when he was 82 years old.
“I talked to everyone I contacted through the cashier line because it helped me not to be depressed about losing her… I told them my life story,” Bambas said of his wife.
Lexi Wallace, 26, who had been a regular visitor before moving away, took to Weidenhoff’s Facebook page to urge him to find Bambas.
“I thought his name was Bob. He never corrected me,” Wallace said. “I would love to go to Mayer to see him.”
Weidenhofer said Bambas will be able to use the windfall to pay off $225,000 in debt. How he spends the rest of the money is entirely up to him.
“It feels like a dream,” Weidenhofer said.
Bambas wanted to visit his brother and start playing golf again. As for work, he has not resigned from his position as cashier.
“I’ll probably work for another month or two and then shut things down,” he said.
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Associated Press reporter Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan, contributed to this report.
