Kevin Ford has by no means missed a shift in his 27 years at Burger King. 

In June 2022, a TikTok Ford posted sharing the reward Burger King gave him for his dedication and years of service went viral. Individuals had been impressed by Ford’s optimistic perspective whereas he went by means of the items he acquired for his many years of working on the quick meals chain’s location in Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport, previously often called the McCarran Worldwide Airport.

“I’ve labored right here 27 years, by no means missed not in the future of labor, by no means even known as out,” an enthusiastic Ford explains earlier than opening a plastic drawstring backpack containing a film ticket, a Starbucks cup, a bag of Reese’s Items, two packs of Life Savers, two pens, a lanyard and two keychains. 

He wraps up the video, saying, “That is my reward for working 27 years. Thanks guys,” whereas holding two thumbs up.

Individuals within the feedback had been fast to criticize the quick meals chain’s compensation for years of service. “That is so fallacious on so many ranges. Give him every week off with pay so he can go to his grandchildren,” one consumer wrote, whereas one other advised Ford, “You sir deserve far more than this!” Many within the feedback merely tagged the company with calls to “do higher.” 

Ford’s daughter Seryna tells PEOPLE she was on Twitter, now often called X, when she mentioned she noticed the video shared to the platform. She seen folks within the feedback saying, “Any individual wants to start out a GoFundMe for this man” and thought to herself, “Properly, I’m any person.” 

On June 21, 2022, Seryna launched her father’s GoFundMe. “He initially started working at this job as a single father when he gained custody of me and my older sister 27 years in the past,” the Texas resident wrote on the platform. “Then as our household grew and he remarried, he continued to work there due to the wonderful medical health insurance that was supplied by means of this employer as a result of it was unionized. This bought all 4 of his daughters by means of highschool and faculty with full healthcare protection.”

She closed out the donation web page’s description saying that the household isn’t anticipating any cash, however is open for anyone who “looks like blessing him,” including that “he would love to go to his grandchildren.” 

The numbers instantly started to roll in, as Seryna needed to repeatedly replace the aim. Inside the first two days of the fundraiser, she up to date the GoFundMe web page eight instances, typically to boost the aim and different instances merely to thank everyone for the outpouring of assist. By the top of the primary few days, Seryna had moved the aim from $2,700 to $27,000 to $100,000. 

“It was very surreal. It felt like a dream,” Seryna tells PEOPLE. “I used to be similar to, this wasn’t actually taking place as a result of stuff like that does not occur and it positively does not occur to folks like us.”

“I believe folks needed to be part of one thing stunning for as soon as and that is stunning. It’s a miracle,” Kevin tells PEOPLE as to why he thinks his story was so pertinent. 

Seryna says she “assume[s] it was that everybody else noticed their dad or their husband or themselves or their mother – the person who offers – and so they noticed themselves in him.” 

Within the 12 months because the fundraiser started, Kevin and Seryna have raised over $420,000 from over 14,000 donors, together with actor David Spade. 

The funds raised are used as a contribution towards the Burger King employee’s retirement, as Seryna defined on GoFundMe. “My dad continues to work there, as a result of although he does look younger, he’s arising on retirement age and leaving would value him his retirement.”

Kevin tells PEOPLE life continues to be going alongside as regular. “I nonetheless work on the similar place, C Gate’s Burger King. I nonetheless drive Uber and DoorDash on the weekends,” he explains. 

Kevin says the most important distinction is now, he will get to work together with some well-known folks each every so often. “I simply advised David Spade Pleased Birthday and he despatched again, ‘thanks bud,’ you already know, so I would not usually do this.”

Kevin reunited with Seryna and her youngsters on the At this time present only one week after the beginning of the fundraiser, and now, with Kevin’s birthday approaching, on Aug. 22, the household is getting collectively as soon as once more.

“For my birthday, I flew out right here and we’re shocking them once they get out of faculty as a result of their granddad’s on the town. So, I get to see them at this time.”