Strangers raise over $133k for 82-year-old Walmart worker who went viral on TikTok
In one of the most heartwarming things you will read today, strangers have raised over $133,000 for a Walmart worker to help with medical bills.
82-year-old Carman Kelly went viral on TikTok after Liz Rizzo noticed her standing up for hours during a shift at a Walmart in Arizona, US.
Rizzo shared Kelly's story online, which has notched up over 15 million views and 2 million views in the weeks that have followed. Watch it below:
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Starting the TikTok, Rizzo said: "Look at this woman having to work here at Walmart with her cane."
She then asked her what her name was, while also asking for her age and whether she had to work, as typically most would be retired at Kelly's age.
Rizzo continued: "I'm gonna put you on TikTok - I'm gonna make sure this goes viral and get you some help, Carman.
"I'm going to try my best. Everyone, she’s 82 years old and working at Walmart. Let's help her out. Come on my TikTok friends. Thank you."
Rizzo then spoke to Good Morning America to give a bit more context to the situation.
She said: "We talked afterwards and I asked her, ‘If you want, I'll help you … I can do fundraising.
The TikToker also added that she asked Kelly's permission first to post the TikTok.
She added: "We did her bills and it came up to about $10,000 so that's what I put on GoFundMe."
So Rizzo started the GoFundMe with the aim of raising $10,000 for Kelly, but at the time of writing, it sits at $133,395 raised from over 9,000 donations - more than ten times the original target.
Kelly has been working at the Arizona supermarket for nearly two years, and explained to Good Morning America that she took the job to help her make ends meet.
She said: "I've been having a really hard time money wise, medical wise and I've fallen quite a few times over the past year and so I had some big hospital bills from that.
"My Walmart money, it helped me pay for food and gas and other things."
In the fundraiser, Rizzo said all the money raised would go to Kelly who is set to receive a mammoth windfall.
Kelly said: "I'm going to be able to pay off all my bills, get a new place to live, hopefully [an] assisted living place to just help me with life.
"I can't thank the American people and the people from Australia, I believe it was, and some other countries that were so generous and kind. I can't thank them enough."
Callum Jones