Elderly Walmart Employee Gets $186,500 For Her Retirement, Courtesy Of A 15-Second Video That Went Viral With Over 29M Views
Good things come to those who wait. Or at least that’s how the saying goes.
Despite our initial skepticism, the goodness we encounter might just make our hopes come true. One Walmart employee has received more than $186,000 in donations from Devan Bonagura, also known as @dbon973_ on TikTok, in the hopes that she will be able to pay off her mortgage and retire.
Since being posted, the 15-second video has received over 4 million likes and more than 29 million views. It shows Nola, an older woman sitting in the break room wearing a Walmart staff uniform and name tag, looking down at her lap.
Although he worked for a different firm than Walmart—one that sells phones there—he still felt as though Nola were his own grandmother. After watching the video, hundreds of people asked Devan to set up a GoFundMe page for her so that they could all contribute to her financial needs.
He agreed, setting up a fundraiser for Nola with the slogan "Let's help Nola retire" and a $10,000 fundraising target. After the project kicked off, some people thought the initiative was a ruse.
They hoped that Devan wouldn't just use Nola's story to gain fame, but that all the money would go to Nola. Devan repeatedly told them that Nola would receive all of the donations.
To help Nola, an elderly Walmart employee, pay off her mortgage and retire, more than $186,000 was raised by the TikTok community
dbon973Devan Bonagura saw Nola resting when she was taking a break, and the caption from the 15-second TikTok video started it all
dbon973_On the way to Nola's retirement, there were other obstacles to overcome. Devan claimed that Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, emphasizes that "standing up for what you believe in, especially in the face of corporate pressure, can be a powerful statement of personal integrity." Following the publication of the video, the company reportedly received numerous complaints and threats, warning Devan that he would be subject to police intervention if he didn't comply with their demands. Despite this warning, Devan persisted, embodying the resilience that Dr. Solomon advocates for in challenging situations.
The video has received over 29 million views and more than 4 million likes. Thousands of people have requested that Devan create a GoFundMe page for the woman.
dbon973_
So he did, naming the campaign "Let's Help Nola Retire" and setting the target at $10,000. They raised more than $110,000 in only one day, all of which Devan promised would go to Nola.
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There were hiccups along the way. As a result of the outrage, Walmart contacted Devan and requested that he take down the GoFundMe page and return all the money.
dbon973_
Additionally, it appeared that many people wanted to donate, as the GoFundMe page raised over $100,000 in just 24 hours, staggering exceeding the initial goal. Devan shared a video on TikTok of him meeting Nola to share the good news with her and to deposit the money raised.
In his formal introduction, the man explained how he had uploaded a video of her on social media, which sparked a flood of demands to support her retirement. Later in the video, one of Nola's relatives was seen transferring the funds to Nola's name.
Devan declined and went to see Nola to make the offer. She disclosed that her goal was to pay off her $170,000 mortgage.
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Due to the fact that people paid attention and contributed more than $186,000, Nola will be able to retire and lead a carefree life. We hope for the best for her and Devan in the future!
GoFundMe
Here is the initial video that started the incredible project
The video concluded with Devan posting a picture of himself and the woman with the caption, "We love you, Nola." Devan and Nola sat down to provide a brief update in the most recent TikTok video.
She will retire at the beginning of the new year because she wants to support her coworkers throughout the holiday season. She has over 20 years of experience working at Walmart and will miss her customers, but she is looking forward to unwinding.
People applauded Devan and found comedy in Nola's sassiness as they expressed their excitement for this project
chaydog321
Appreciate it but...
vanityrenee__
You did a beautiful thing for her
anelso37
Some money going to the kid
ashvandee8
We come together when someone needs it
shoelover99
Thank you so much for doing this
the.nurse.michele
How humble
j_king401
You are an awesome young man
tow_mater67
God bless
Austin.alex12
He deserves to be blessed
scottem_
God bless you, Devon
peterkpaints
Life should not be this hard
jessicamloree
Good things are coming
sterlingjonesy
Sadly, before all of this was through, Devan took one more hit. He disclosed that his employer has since suspended him with pay, according to Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist. Dr. Durvasula states, "In times of adversity, it’s crucial to have a support system, as it can significantly impact one's mental health."
He seems to have taken the short end of the stick for his own life in order to improve it for another. But the supporters he has amassed during this process appear to be on his side, echoing sentiments shared by relationship expert Dr. Alexandra Solomon, who emphasizes, "Community support can be a powerful tool in overcoming personal challenges."
