Even though he's 88 years old, Army veteran and former General Motors worker Ed Bambas was still working at a local grocery store in Michigan.
That's where social media influencers Mike McKinstry and Samuel Weidenhofer met him — at a Meijer grocery store — and changed his life.
Bambas was working five days a week at the store because he needed the money, according to Fox 2 Detroit. He "has been forced to work full-time as a cashier to make ends meet" at the store, according to The New York Post.
At one time, Bambas, who worked at GM, thought that he would enjoy a nice retirement with his wife. He retired in 1999, but then the company went bankrupt and he lost his pension.
"In 2012 they went bankrupt and took my pension away from me," he told the Detroit television station.
"The thing that hurt me the most was when my wife was really sick and when they took the pension, they also took the health care coverage and all but $10,000 of my life insurance," he said. "So I sold the house. Sold the property I had, and we made it through." Then, his wife died.
The influencers learned about Bambas's story and created a GoFundMe page titled, "88 & Still Working: Let’s Support Veteran Ed Bambas." It's now raised more than $1.5 million.
"I want to introduce you all to Ed Bambas, a man I met recently in a Detroit supermarket who completely humbled me," the GoFundMe page says.
"Ed is 88 years old, an Army veteran, and he still works five days a week, eight hours a day. He has never received the pension he earned after a lifetime of hard work, and he lost his wife years ago," it reads. "Despite everything, Ed shows up every day with quiet dignity, strength, and perseverance. His story is a stark reminder that too many of our seniors, especially veterans face incredible challenges just to survive."
Added the GoFundMe page statement: "I’m opening a fundraiser to help Ed live the life he deserves to finally give him some relief, comfort and the peace of mind that comes from knowing he can enjoy his later years without constant struggle."
It continued: "Every dollar we raise will go directly to supporting him: helping with living expenses, medical care, and the small joys that make life meaningful. Ed fought for his country, he worked his whole life, and now it’s our turn to fight for him."
Concludes the statement, "If you’ve ever been moved by someone’s courage, if you believe our elders and veterans deserve dignity, please consider contributing. Even sharing this story can help us reach more people who want to make a difference. Let’s show Ed that the same bravery and commitment he gave to his country and community does not go unnoticed. ❤️"
Bambas's son, Michael Bambas, told The New York Post: “I know what this is going to mean to him and that it’s going to change his life immensely." He added, “He’s finally going to enjoy life and not have to worry about, you know, where the next dollar is gonna have to come from."