An 88-year-old Army veteran is finally going to be able to retire after a viral video of him working at a Meijer grocery store led to internet users contributing over $1.5 million on a GoFundMe page.
The story of Ed Bambas, an 88-year-old Army veteran, was recently shared in a viral video on social media after Samuel Weidenhofer, an Australian positivity influencer, recorded him working at a Meier grocery store in Brighton, Michigan. Bambas told Weidenhofer that he works “five days a week, eight hours a day” because he doesn’t “have enough income.”
Bambas explained that he retired from General Motors in 1999 before losing his pension when the company went bankrupt in 2012. The elderly Army veteran noted that he is “trying to reestablish” himself after his wife of more than 50 years became “really sick” and died seven years ago.
“The thing that hurt me the most was when my wife was really sick, and when they took the pension, they also took the health care coverage and all but $10,000 of my life insurance,” Bambas told Weidenhofer.
The New York Post reported that Bambas has been working at a Meijer grocery store for approximately five years.
After meeting with Bambas, Weidenhofer launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Army veteran’s retirement.
“I’m opening a fundraiser to help Ed live the life he deserves to finally give him some relief, comfort and the peace of mind that comes from knowing he can enjoy his later years without constant struggle,” Weidenhofer stated. “Every dollar we raise will go directly to supporting him: helping with living expenses, medical care, and the small joys that make life meaningful.”
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“Ed fought for his country, he worked his whole life, and now it’s our turn to fight for him. If you’ve ever been moved by someone’s courage, if you believe our elders and veterans deserve dignity, please consider contributing,” the Australian influencer added. “Even sharing this story can help us reach more people who want to make a difference.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe page has raised over $1.5 million for Bambas’ retirement with more than 53,000 donations.
Michael Bambas, the Army veteran’s son, told The New York Post that his father will be able to retire following the massive fundraiser and that the money will be presented to him as part of a surprise ceremony at the Meijer grocery store on Friday.
“I know what this is going to mean to him and that it’s going to change his life immensely,” Michael Bambas said. “He’s finally going to enjoy life and not have to worry about, you know, where the next dollar is gonna have to come from.”
“He has no idea how much money is in the account,” Bambas added. “He has no clue what’s there. It’s going to be total shock to him.”