A struggling Army veteran can quit his full-time job at a Michigan grocery store after thousands of strangers responded to his story online and raised $1.7 million to help him finally retire.
Australian influencer Samuel Weidenhofer told NBC News that he connected with Ed Bambas, 88, after he "received a comment on Facebook."
"I knew nothing about him," Weidenhofer, 22, said in a Thursday phone interview with the outlet.
The content creator reportedly uses his platform to help raise awareness and money for people in need.
In a now-viral video, Weidenhofer found and approached Bambas at a Meijer grocery store in Brighton, Michigan, and asked him to share his story.
Bambas said he retired from General Motors in 1999 but lost his pension when the company went bankrupt in 2012. His wife, who was sick at the time, died seven years ago, he said.
"So, you've been struggling a bit?" Weidenhofer asked.
"Ah, a little bit," Bambas replied.
"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 continued, tearing up. "So, I sold my house, sold the property I had, we made it through."
Since his wife's death, Bambas said he's been trying to get back on his feet and had to start working again.
"I don't have enough income," he said in the video.
When Weidenhofer asked Bambas if he could share his story online to raise money so he could retire, he started to cry.
Weidenhofer set up Bambas' GoFundMe on Monday; by Thursday afternoon, 56,000 donations – including one from Newsmax – had poured in totaling more than $1.6 million for the Army veteran.
"Ed fought for his country, he worked his whole life, and now it's our turn to fight for him," Weidenhofer said. "If you've ever been moved by someone's courage, if you believe our elders and veterans deserve dignity, please consider contributing. Even sharing this story can help us reach more people who want to make a difference."
"Let's show Ed that the same bravery and commitment he gave to his country and community does not go unnoticed," the kindness influencer added.
On Friday, a visibly emotional Bambas was presented with an oversized check for $1.7 million.
"No, no," he said, wiping away tears and sniffling. "Thank you. Oh, my God."
In a statement, Meijer said that Bambas is a valuable associate who brings joy and warmth to the store as well as his customer interactions.
"We are providing Ed with no-cost financial planning assistance for life to help him make the most of these generous contributions and will continue to support him as a valued member of our team," the store said.
With the money raised from the GoFundMe campaign, Michael Bambas, 63, said his father can "start living and doing things for himself."
"I don't know how to thank everybody for what they're doing for my dad," he told NBC. "It's just amazing, words can't describe."
A General Motors spokesperson called Bambas' story "deeply moving" and said, "It's wonderful to see the outpouring of support for him."
"We are grateful for what he has contributed to GM and to our country," the spokesperson said in a statement. "While we don't share details about individuals, in 2012 salaried GM retirees who were receiving monthly pension payments were given several options, including continuation of monthly lifetime payments or a lump sum payout, if they preferred."
Bambas told CBS News on Friday that he opted to receive a $300,000 lump sum payment and stopped receiving pension benefits.
The GM spokesperson added that company retirees older than 65 began receiving "a $300 monthly lifetime payment for supplemental Medicare coverage" beginning in 2008.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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