An 81-year-old waitress named Betty, who’s worked at Eat’n Park in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, for over 30 years, can finally retire thanks to a viral online fundraiser. Last week, Tamie Konzier and her son Leo visited the restaurant and learned Betty was still working because Social Security wasn’t enough to cover her expenses. The customer was so moved that she left a generous tip and decided to share Betty’s story on social media.
The video quickly went viral, prompting Konzier to launch a crowdfund which has raised over $300-thousand to support Betty’s retirement. The waitress knows about the crowdfund, but still doesn’t know how much has been raised for her, as donations continue coming in. Eat’n Park management expressed gratitude for the community support and said they were thrilled about the response.
Konzier hopes the funds will give Betty the freedom to retire comfortably, travel, or pay off bills if she chooses. She says that Betty gave her and Leo a memorable piece of advice during their visit: “Enjoy your life because it goes fast.” The unexpected success of the fundraiser has left Konzier surprised and grateful for the kindness shown by total strangers.
Source: CBS NEWS
photo: GETTY