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Viral Fundraiser Delivers $1.7 Million to 88-Year-Old Michigan Veteran Working at Meijer

An Australian creator’s GoFundMe drew tens of thousands of donations, and the money is being placed in a trust to support his retirement.

Overview

  • Ed Bambas was presented Friday with an oversized check for more than $1.7 million in Brighton, Michigan, after his story gained wide attention online.
  • Advisers at Foguth Financial Group are helping place the donations into a trust to pay down debt and manage living and medical expenses over time.
  • The campaign was launched by Australian influencer Samuel Weidenhofer and drew tens of thousands of contributions from around the world in just days.
  • Bambas, an Army veteran and longtime General Motors retiree who has been working as a Meijer cashier, says he expects to work another month or two before retiring.
  • General Motors said retirees were offered options in 2012, including a lump-sum payout; Bambas later clarified he took a buyout and used it for his late wife's medication.