Kevin Ford became a homeowner in December thanks to donations from kind-hearted supporters. The Burger King employee went viral in 2022 when he posted a TikTok video to display the unbelievable gifts he received at work for 27 years of service with not a single day missed.
Kevin’s service reward — which included a movie ticket, a Starbucks cup, a bag of Reese’s Pieces, two packs of Life Savers, two pens, a lanyard, and two keychains — was met with criticism from social media users who thought it was unfair.
His daughter asked for funding
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Kevin’s daughter responded to the backlash with a GoFundMe campaign, which raised nearly half a million dollars from thousands of donors. Her father used the money to acquire a property which he showed off on TikTok. “I know it’s not a mansion, but it’s mine,” he stated.
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The new landlord thanked his sponsors for making an “American dream” come true as a “Christmas miracle.” “I want to thank everyone all around the world for what you’ve done for me, something that I thought would never be possible for me: home ownership,” he said. “Remember, love yourself because I love you. God bless you, and thank you.”
Kevin “never called out” of work a day in his life
Ford stated in his initial video that he “never missed not one day of work, never even called out.” His daughter, Seryna, confirmed on the fundraising page that her father tried to make ends meet as a single father to two girls, hence why he took the job. “He originally began working at this job… when he gained custody of me and my older sister 27 years ago,” she wrote.
He continued to work at the fast food chain due to “amazing health insurance” and was able to provide for his growing family after remarrying. “This got all four of his daughters through high school and college with full healthcare coverage,” Seryna explained. She added that his retirement was close and leaving would cost him money; therefore, people should rather help him if desired. “In no way are we asking for money or is he expecting any money but if anyone feels like blessing him he would love to visit his grandchildren,” she noted.