Seeing anyone who is well past retirement age still working really breaks my heart. People in their 80s should be able to spend the rest of their days with their feet up and enjoying life.
However, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to retire. But then there are kind angels who see something that is wrong and do everything in their power to put it right… this is such a story.
A TikTok user named Rory McCarty was shopping at his local Walmart when he noticed an 82-year-old worker named Butch. In his first meeting with Butch, he asks the veteran whether he knew of the trend where a young person has been using their TikTok influence to help elderly Walmart employees to retire.
He recounts how she helped an elderly Walmart employee and raised $100,000 for her and also raised $50,000 in four days for another 82-year-old Walmart employee.
The Navy veteran who served his country for 10 years looks surprised to hear this and says, “Well I’ll be damned.”
McCarty goes on to ask him, “Now imagine someone kind of raised that money for you.”
But turns out Butch does not have to imagine any of it! The McCarty decided to raise money for the old employee because he clearly deserved it. He ended up raising about $50,000 in just under 24 hours. So far the fundraiser is over $100,000!
Rory McCarty wrote in the description for the GoFundMe page about what a sweet man Butch was and how he wanted to help him. He wrote, “I was shopping at Walmart the other day, and was waited on by an 82yr old man named Butch.”
McCarty wrote, “I wanted to help this Navy Veteran to live the remainder of his years traveling to see his kids in Florida. Get him off his feet for eight hrs at a time. And do the things he would love to do that he may not be able to for financial reasons.”
“Every penny will go to Butch. I will be hand delivering Warren Marion (Butch) a cashier check for the full amount given after the GoFundMe fee is subtracted,” he pledged.
People in the comment section of TikTok were all immediately convinced to help. They actually asked McCarty empathically to set up a GoFundMe account to help Butch out. It was unanimous; he needed to retire!
McCarty later even recorded Butch’s reaction to the fundraiser. He hugs McCarty and thanks him and all the people who are helping. “How did I get so lucky?” the 82-year-old says on camera.
When asked what he would do with the money, he said, “I’d see my kids, I’d do some work around the house, I would enjoy the last 10 or 12 years I’ve got.”
Butch has been working since he was 11 years old. McCarty promised he would get him off his feet.
Honestly, this was the heartwarming news I needed this Holiday season to remember there is still good in this world.