When a loyal Burger King employee who hasn’t taken a sick day off in 27 years was awarded with a measly goodie bag, the internet jumped in and raised nearly R5 million for him.
Kevin Ford is a 54-year-old cook and cashier who did not take a single day off whilst working at Burger King at Las Vegas McCarren airport.
It all started when a video showing Ford proudly displaying the contents of the bag he was given by the fast food company for his loyalty went viral.
The string bag contained movie ticket, sweets, a Starbucks cup, two pens, and a lanyard, which was apparently hastily scraped together when management learnt of his unsurpassed feat.
Shortly after, Ford’s daughter Seryna, started a GoFundMe to give her father a proper reward.
So far, the fund-raiser has amassed close to $300 000 (R5 000 000), reports IOL.
“The man in that video is my father. He has worked at his job for 27 years, he has never missed a day of work,” wrote Seryna in the GoFundMe’s description.
Ford said he was grateful to have even received something as many others did not get anything for such achievements.
When asked by NewsNation how he managed not to take some time off, Ford said: “I also don’t know how I did it. Maybe I am a robot. I just worked as hard as I could.”
With the money, Ford plans to visit his daughters and grandkids. He also wants to put it towards the children’s college tuition.