A Burger King employee's small gift was stepped up by actor David Spade in 2022. The fast food chain faced backlash for presenting a “less than modest" goodie bag to Kevin Ford for his 27 years of perfect attendance. He posted a video showing his reaction to the small gift which quickly went viral and caught the eye of the "Saturday Night Live" star.
A goodie bag for 27 years of service
Ford worked as a cook and cashier at a Burger King in Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport. He served the popular fast food chain without missing a single day. While he never expected any rewards for his remarkable record, the management gave him a small gift of appreciation on his 27th work anniversary.
The thank-you package included a single movie ticket, a Starbucks cup, a few candy bars, and a backpack to hold everything. While one may expect more, Ford was happy with the gesture. He shared a video of himself showing off the items and expressing his gratitude.
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The video quickly went viral and people were shocked to see the lack of appreciation Ford received. Viewers felt that Ford’s loyalty warranted more.
Ford gave away some of the items to his coworkers as a thankful gesture for their camaraderie and support. His unwavering positivity and humility resonated with people around the world.
A campaign to set things right
Ford's daughter, Seryna went on to set up a GoFundMe for the 54-year-old grandad, at the time, ABC reported. The campaign was set up to raise funds for his retirement.
On the campaign page, she wrote that while her dad looked young, he was nearing retirement age and he couldn't leave his job as it would "cost him his retirement."
While the fundraiser was launched with a modest goal of $200, Ford's story blew up the campaign. People donated thousands of dollars, hoping to give the diligent worker what he deserved.
Celebrity donation changed the game
Among the contributors was comedian and actor David Spade who donated $5,000 to the campaign. Ford, who is a big fan of Spade, didn’t realize it was the real David Spade until he read a direct message from the star on Instagram obtained by TMZ. “Keep up the good work. 27 years,” Spade wrote in his message. He even shared a lighthearted joke telling Ford that he might have to wait until the 30-year mark to finally take a day off.
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Ford told TMZ that he was grateful to receive the donation and for the opportunity to joke around with the star whose contribution pushed the amount to $30,000 at the time. As of September 2024, the GoFundMe page showed that the campaign raised a whopping $465,879.
In an interview with YouTuber Sierra Nicole, Ford expressed his gratitude to everyone who donated.
"I think that it probably touched people because I think we as humans, period, just need love and gratitude, " he said.
This article originally appeared 2 months ago.
