On Friday, December 5th, 88-year-old Ed Bambas, a senior cashier at a chain grocery store in Michigan, received a whopping $1.7 million check, thanks to a fundraising campaign initiated by a young Australian.
22-year-old Sam Weidenhofer from Melbourne, with a large following on social media, used his strong influence to spread kindness during his visit to the United States.
About two weeks ago, Weidenhofer met Bambas at a Meijer chain store in Brighton, Michigan, learned about his plight, and recorded a TikTok video to share with his 7.7 million followers.
In the video, the retired General Motors employee explained why he continues to work as he approaches 90, revealing that his wife Joan passed away in 2018 due to a chronic illness.
Bambas said in the video, “My income is not enough.”
He started working at Meijer when he was 82 and enjoyed chatting with customers, “I talk to every customer at the checkout counter because it helps me cope with the loss of my wife… I share many stories of my life with them.”
Weidenhofer then launched a GoFundMe online fundraising campaign, urging people to help Bambas.
He said, “His story vividly reminds us that too many elderly people, especially veterans, face enormous challenges for survival.”
The response from fans was overwhelming, with over 15,000 people donating amounts ranging from $10 to $10,000.
“It feels like a dream,” said Weidenhofer.
With tears in his eyes, Bambas thanked everyone, saying, “My goodness!” Jokingly, he told reporters, “It means I have a heavy burden; I have to find everyone and say ‘thank you’ to them.”
26-year-old Lexi Wallace, a former regular customer at the supermarket who has since moved away, was moved by Bambas’s personal story. She posted a message on Weidenhofer’s Facebook page urging him to find Bambas.
Wallace said, “I always thought his name was Bob, and he never corrected me. I really want to go back to Meijer to see him again.”
Weidenhofer noted that Bambas plans to use the unexpected windfall to pay off a $225,000 debt, and the rest of the money will be entirely up to him on how to spend it.
Bambas expressed his desire to visit his brother and start playing golf again. As for work, he hasn’t decided to resign from his cashier position yet, stating, “I might work for another month or two.”
(Reference to the Associated Press report)