In a heartwarming story, 88-year-old Army veteran Edmund Bambas, who worked full-time at a Michigan grocery store after losing his General Motors pension in the 2012 bankruptcy, was the beneficiary of a massive crowdfunding campaign to retire.
For context, Australian influencer Sam Weidenhofer, tipped off via social media, surprised Bambas at work with a $400 tip and a viral video revealing his struggles, including selling assets to cover his late wife’s illness and medical bills.
A GoFundMe launched by Weidenhofer exploded to over $1.7 million from 62,000 donors, funding his retirement, medical care, and joys. General Motors praised his service and noted that it would make supplemental payments to eligible retirees.
Starting the clip, the Aussie asked, “May I ask how old you are?” to which Bambas answered, “I’m 88 years old.” Continuing her questions, Weidenhofer asked, “Why do you have to keep working?” which prompted a heartbreaking story.
The dedicated worker answered, “I retired from General Motors in [1999].” Continuing, he said, “In 2012, they went bankrupt, and they took my pension away from me. The thing that hurt me the most was my wife was real sick, and when they took the pension, they also took the health care coverage and all but $10,000 of my life insurance.”
Describing his decisions, Edmund Bambas noted, “So, I sold the house, sold the property I had, and we made it through. I work five days a week, eight hours a day.” Additionally, he answered that his dream was to “Live somewhat the life I was hoping for.”
However, the story touched the hearts of good Samaritans, who launched a highly successful crowdfunding campaign. “Despite everything, Ed shows up every day with quiet dignity, strength, and perseverance,” the GoFundMe page description read.
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The same source revealed, “His story is a stark reminder that too many of our seniors, especially veterans, face incredible challenges just to survive. … Every dollar we raise will go directly to supporting him: helping with living expenses, medical care, and the small joys that make life meaningful.”
Reacting, Bambas said, “I don’t know what to say,” and added, “It’s going to go a long way to help me.” Blown away by the generosity, he said, “It’s something that dreams are made of, trust me,” and shared, “I’ll probably work another month or two and shut things down.”
In an official statement, a General Motors spokesperson said, “Mr. Bambas’ personal story is deeply moving, and it’s wonderful to see the outpouring of support for him,” adding, “We are grateful for what he has contributed to GM and to our country. … Additionally, starting in 2008, retirees older than 65 receive a $300 monthly lifetime payment for supplemental Medicare coverage.”
Watch the clip here:
Celebrating the successful endeavor, Weidenhofer posted, “This is unbelievable… Thank you for coming together to change an 88-year-old veteran’s life. And thank you for helping shine a light on all the veterans out there — all the ‘Ed’s’ who are still working hard just to make ends meet.”
Featured video from embedded video