$300,000 raised for Burger King employee given candy and a pen after 27 years of service

vt-author-image

By Asiya Ali

Article saved!Article saved!

The GoFundMe that was set up to reward a loyal Burger King employee who has been with the company for 27 years has now surpassed over $300,000.

Kevin Ford, 54, went viral on social media after a video of him opening his 27th-anniversary gift from his employers was shared online.

However, despite Ford's dedication for nearly three decades of service, he was only given a goody bag that contained a bag of Reese's, a Starbucks reusable cup, two pens, and one movie ticket.

Ford never called in sick at work and expressed gratitude for the gift, although, he did admit that he felt that he had been given a bag of things "they had lying around."

Ford's daughters set up a GoFundMe page for their dad and sought to raise about $200. Instead, they received a whooping $300,000 in donations as the number continues to rise.

His daughter Seryna shared an explanation in the fundraiser's description, saying her father began working the job as a single father 27 years ago, adding:

"Then as our family grew and he remarried, he continued to work there because of the amazing health insurance that was provided through this employer because it was unionized. This got all four of his daughters through high school and college with full healthcare coverage."

Seryna wrote the family was in "no way" asking for money "but if anyone feels like blessing him he would love to visit his grandchildren."

wp-image-1263160412 size-full
Credit: GoFundMe (Screenshot)

On Tuesday, Ford was given the opportunity to fly out to New York City to appear on NBC’s Today show and was reunited with his grandchildren live on television.

Check out the interview below:

"I haven’t seen my grandkids in over four years, until the other day when The Today Show flew me out to New York and I got to see them live on TV," Ford told the outlet.

"I’ve been crying for all these days as it is and of course, I’m crying live on TV again seeing my grandbabies."

Despite the money that's been raised for him, Ford said he doesn’t plan on retiring or taking a vacation just yet, he just wants to focus on his family.

"You never know, it’s day to day but I haven’t thought of anything to do with that money except to visit my grandkids for a while and maybe put some up for their college, but I’m not even thinking about that," he told the outlet. "I’m just working."

Featured image credit: Francis Joseph Dean / Deanpictures / Alamy