88-year-old veteran's touching story of why he works full time goes viral, raising over $1 million
Veteran Ed Bambas lost his pension, then lost his wife of more than 50 years.
Ed Bambas instantly moved people with his heartfelt honesty.
When shoppers at a Meijer grocery store in Brighton, Michigan stop by the self-checkout, many of them look forward to seeing the friendly face of Ed Bambas, an 88 year old Army veteran who would find himself at the center of social media attention.
Bambas works eight hours a day, five days a week. When Australian content creator and “kindness influencer” Samuel Weidenhofer asked Bambas why he was still working at his age, his heartfelt answer instantly struck a chord.
“I have to.”
In a video that has now reached millions of viewers, Bambas explained that he retired from General Motors in 1999. But in 2012, the company went bankrupt, and Bambas’ pension was taken away. To make matters worse, his wife of fifty year, Joan, became ill and her medical bills had to be paid out of pocket.
“The thing that hurt me the most was when my wife was really sick and when they took the pension, they also took the healthcare coverage and all but 10000 of my life insurance,” he said, voice breaking.
After selling his house and other property he owned, Bambas and Joan “made it through” for a time, but she did pass away seven years ago. Since then, he has been trying to “re establish” himself, but his income has never been enough to stop working.
When asked what his dream was, Bambas simply said to “live somewhat the life I was hoping for.”
That is what prompted Weidenhofer to hand him a $400 tip on the spot, then set up a GoFundMe to help him finally retire.
“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,” Weidenhofer wrote on the GFM page.
The fundraiser passed $800,000 on its first day. By Wednesday it had climbed well above $1.2 million.
Supporters shared why they felt compelled to help.
One commenter wrote, “This man is the salt of the earth. We see him every time we go into the store and he is always smiling and just the kindest soul. This makes me so happy to see him recognized and receiving the flowers he deserves and earned so very long ago.”
Celebrities took notice as well. Charlie Puth commented, “Commenting to spread this video. I also donated to you sir.”
Meijer confirmed Bambas has been part of their team for more than five years. The company said, “Ed is a beloved member of the Brighton Meijer store and has been a team member for more than five years. He has a wonderful way of connecting with customers and brings joy to the store with his warmth and his smile.” They added that they are providing him with financial planning assistance so he can make the most of the donations.
Bambas, who’s only ever had a flip phone, never engaged with Instagram or TikTok, let alone knew he had gone viral.
"It came out of the clear blue — I really truly mean that," he told WXYZ.
Weidenhofer has yet to reveal Bambas’ grand total to him, and the fundraiser is still going. Soon he’ll learn that an entire community saw his dream was worth fighting for.
If you’d like to help make this dream come true, you can contribute to Bambas’ GoFundMe page here.