TikTok is much more than just a platform with dancing videos and people doing challenges. It can also be a great tool for people that want to show their creativity, share interesting content, or support a good cause. Maryland native Rory McCarty decided to use it for the latter and help an elderly Walmart cashier retire.
McCarty, who goes by @bug_boys on TikTok, recently paid a visit to his local Walmart and met an 82-year-old cashier named Warren “Butch” Marion. Watching the man put in hard work at such an advanced age, the TikToker figured he should do something to help him spend his golden years in a better way.
Remembering how other social media users used their platform to launch successful GoFundMe campaigns for elderly workers, McCarty decided to do the same. He posted a video on TikTok in which he shared Marion’s story and invited others to join the cause.
“I wanted to help this Navy Veteran to live the remainder of his years traveling to see his kids in Florida,” wrote McCarty in the campaign. “Get him off his feet for 8 hrs at a time. And do the things he would love to do that he may not be able to for financial reasons.”
Prompted by the touching story, the internet users rushed to respond to McCarty’s plea. The campaign reached $100,000 in a matter of days, allowing Marion to finally put his Walmart uniform on the hanger for good.
On January 4th, McCarty officially presented Marion with a check for $108,682 that the campaign had collected to that point. He later shared the heartwarming moment in an Instagram photo that shows the elderly man with a huge smile on his face.
McCarty and Marion, who became friends in the meantime, are currently making tours to share their remarkable story. They hope to inspire others to similar acts of kindness and show that it doesn’t need much to change someone’s life for the better.
