Viral Kindness: Strangers Donate $1.7M So 88‑Year‑Old Veteran Can Retire From Supermarket Job

Community Steps In After Viral Video of 88-Year-Old Veteran Working at Meijer

After a video of 88‑year‑old veteran Ed Bambas working behind a checkout at a Meijer supermarket in Brighton, Michigan, went viral, strangers donated more than $1.7 million to a GoFundMe set up to help him retire. The campaign was launched after Australian influencer Sam Weidenhofer and Detroit‑based creator Mike McKinstry located Bambas in the store and shared his story online.

A Lifetime of Work and Recent Hardship

Bambas originally retired from General Motors in 1999, but he says his pension was cut when GM declared bankruptcy in 2012. After his wife Joan endured a long illness and died in 2018, Bambas returned to paid work to cover mounting medical and household bills. Though he owns his home, he told local ABC affiliate WXYZ that the reduced income following his wife's illness and death forced him back into the workforce.

“Once my wife died, I didn't have enough income to pay for this place or all the other bills I had accumulated because of my wife's illness,” Bambas said. He added that he was physically able to work long shifts: “I'm fortunate God gave me a good enough body to be strong enough to stand there for eight, eight and a half hours a day.”

“I just try to be myself, with one exception. I think my wife sits on my shoulder and helps me do the right thing. I try very hard to go to her gravesite every day and say hi... It helps me get through my day — it really does.” — Ed Bambas

Weidenhofer said he believed no one who is 88 should have to work out of necessity and teamed up with McKinstry to find Bambas after spotting a comment about him on social media. The pair searched the Brighton Meijer and recognized Bambas at the checkout, then posted a video and created a GoFundMe to support his retirement.

The fundraiser description praises Bambas for his perseverance: “Despite everything, Ed shows up every day with quiet dignity, strength, and perseverance. His story is a stark reminder that too many of our seniors, especially veterans, face incredible challenges just to survive.” As of publication, the GoFundMe had reached approximately $1.7 million — an amount Bambas reportedly had not yet learned about when interviewed by the local outlet.

Why This Resonated

The story touched many people because it highlights broader issues: the financial vulnerability of older Americans, gaps in retirement security after corporate bankruptcies, and the emotional toll of caregiving and loss. The viral campaign offered a rapid, community-driven response to provide Bambas with financial security and the ability to stop working out of necessity.

Reported by local outlets and amplified by social media, this story underlines how viral attention can translate into direct financial help for individuals in need.