TikToker Tries to Help 82-Year-Old Walmart Employee Working for Medical Bills
Published Dec. 15 2022, 2:39 p.m. ET
There are throngs of social media accounts on the internet that try to get viewers' attention in a variety of different ways. Everyone wants to go viral, and it could be a popular tool. Whether you're trying to get folks to listen to your music by pairing it with a viral challenge, posting butt-tacular fitness videos to sell leggings for a brand that's throwing you Influencer dollars, or building your personal brand to try and make a name for yourself as an entertainment commodity.
However there are different sub-sets of viral content attempts, and a big one online is random acts of kindness + goodwill. Sure, there are folks out there who may be going about their acts of charity in disingenuous ways, like one dude who left a massive tip for a server, only to call up his credit card and have the charge reversed.
But there are some folks who seem to genuinely want to set up crowdfunding campaigns for people they honestly believe deserve it. Like this trending clip posted by Liz Rizzo (@rustywarrenknockersupgal) who set up a GoFundMe account for an 82-year-old woman named Carmen who works at Walmart.
Rusty writes in a text overlay of the clip: "Walmart 82-year-old with a cane working for Medical Bills. Not allowed to sit, please help," they then include the link to the GoFundMe account in the video.
Rusty approaches Carmen in the clip as she's helping another customer, "Look at this. I don't know her name, I'm gonna find out" she says off camera. She then approaches Carmen, "Hi. What's your name?"
"Carmen."
The TikToker continues, "Do you have to work here? Do you need to work?"
At this point, Carmen takes off her glasses and nods her head, smiling. "Yeah."
"You do?"
"Yeah," Carmen repeats.
"Well I'm going to put you on TikTok."
"Oh!" Carmen says.
"The last lady on TikTok, with Walmart, she raised a hundred and ten thousand dollars."
"Really?!" Carmen says, incredulously.
"I'm serious," Rusty says, before adding, "Look it you got a cane too!"
"Don't they give you a chair?" the TikToker asks.
"No," Carmen replies. "I don't need it, I have this." She taps the shopping cart she's using to help support her weight.
"Well I'm gonna make sure this goes viral and get you some help Carmen."
The woman clutches her chest while smiling. "Well!"
"Happy Holidays," Rusty says, before adding, "May I ask how old you are?"
"Eighty two," Carmen says.
"Everyone she's eighty two years old, and working at Walmart let's help her out. Come on my TikTok friends."
As of this writing, Liz has helped to raise over $77,000 for Carmen on the GoFundMe page. She went to the Walmart to find Carmen working to let her know that the video went viral and inform her of the good news and that folks were responding well to the post.
The GoFundMe was initially capped at $10,000 and at the time of posting, Liz informed her that she helped to raise over half of her $10k medical bills, but now it appears she has more than enough money to pay that off and take way fewer shifts at the Walmart she works at to pay them off.