88-year-old veteran breaks down after being told his fundraiser hit $1.7 million

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An 88-year-old Army veteran gained attention on TikTok and received a remarkable $1.7 million in donations. He was visibly moved as he expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed.

I saw this really touching video on TikTok by Itssozer – his name is Samuel Weidenhofer – back in December. It featured Ed Bambas, a veteran who said he just couldn’t afford to retire. It went totally viral because when Itssozer told him how much money his GoFundMe had raised, Ed broke down crying! It was seriously heartwarming to watch.

Veteran moved to tears after learning total raised

In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on December 5th, Bambas, who is a widower, broke down in tears after hearing the total, and expressed a wish that his wife could be there with him.

He received a check for over $1.7 million, which was raised through Weidenhofer’s fundraiser. This amount was much higher than the initial goal of $750,000.

An 88-year-old Detroit grocery store worker, Ed Bambas, was surprised with over $1.7 million to help him retire comfortably. The funds were raised online by social media influencer Samuel Weidenhofer.

— Max Reinhart (@Max_DetroitNews) December 5, 2025

Bambas expressed gratitude to everyone, saying it was difficult to properly thank all the people present without physical contact like handshakes and hugs. He simply said, “Thank you, everybody.”

In a TikTok video from December 6th, recorded at the same conference, Bambas revealed he was about $230,000 in debt. He explained that he had spent all of his money caring for his wife before her passing.

Honestly, I was so moved by Bambas’ words! He was just overflowing with gratitude for everyone involved. And when they asked him what he’d tell his wife in a single message, it was so sweet – he just said, ‘Thank you, honey. I appreciate everything you’ve done.’ It was a really touching moment, you could just feel the love!

I was really saddened to learn more about what happened to Joe Bambas after his football career. I’d always remembered him as this incredible player, but apparently, after retiring from General Motors in 1999, he actually had to go back to work full-time at a convenience store in Detroit. I read that he told a friend, Weidenhofer, about it. Later, Bambas’s son explained that his dad had spent all his savings on his wife’s medical bills before she passed away, which is why he needed to go back to work. It just puts things in perspective, you know?

As of December 7th, people are still donating to the GoFundMe for Bambas, and the campaign has now raised over $1.8 million.

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2025-12-07 14:49