Observing an elderly individual working late at Walmart can be a distressing sight that can tug at our heartstrings, yet few individuals are inclined to take action. However, a benevolent TikTok user, Devan Bonagura, also known as @dbon973_ on TikTok, felt compelled to do something about it. He recorded a 15-second clip of Nola, an older woman wearing a Walmart work uniform and name badge, sitting in the break room and gazing down at her lap. The clip was accompanied by a text that stated, “Life shouldn’t be this difficult….” Devan expressed his remorse, stating, “I feel horrible.” The video went viral, attracting more than 29.1 million viewers and 4.3 million likes.
The tale moved thousands of viewers, who implored Devan to launch a GoFundMe page for Nola so that they could all contribute. Devan obliged, setting up a fundraiser with a goal of $10,000 for Nola and titling it “Let’s help Nola retire.” “Nola works at Walmart, and that says enough. Let’s all unite and assist,” stated the description.
However, once the initiative gained momentum, some people doubted its sincerity. They hoped that Nola would receive all of the money and that Devan would not exploit her story for personal gain. Devan reassured them repeatedly that Nola would receive all of the donations. In a subsequent video, he declared, “She is going to receive every single dollar that was donated.”
Despite this, the journey to Nola’s retirement was not without obstacles. In the video, Devan revealed that Walmart had contacted him about the popular TikTok and requested that he cease his efforts, take down the GoFundMe page, and refund the donors their money.
In reality, the company even threatened to involve law enforcement against the young man. However, Devan refused to give up on his mission to improve someone’s life, stating, “So, I told them: ‘Do what you gotta do, because I’m getting this money to this woman one way or another.'” Remarkably, many people wanted to contribute, as the GoFundMe campaign raised over $100,000 in just 24 hours, surpassing the initial goal by a substantial margin.
After speaking with Nola’s daughter on the phone and making arrangements to meet with her, Devan traveled to meet the mother-daughter pair on November 5th to assist them with their debts. “They saw that you’re a very hard worker, obviously,” he told Nola, recounting the story of the video to her. “We are all incredibly proud of you, and we wanted to offer you the $110,000 that has been raised for you.” Sadly, Nola revealed that she works at Walmart because she has a significant amount of debt tied up in her house, and she appeared unfazed by this news. “I would accept it, but I would still have to work until I pay off the other $60,000 on the house,” she informed Devan, explaining, “That’s what’s keeping me at workâthe house.”
The surprising revelation was that the funds raised through the GoFundMe website were more than enough to pay off Nola’s mortgage and allow her to enjoy her golden years. In the video, one of Nola’s relatives can be seen transferring the funds to her name. The video concludes with a photo of Devan and Nola together. Despite being fired without pay, Devan intends to continue spreading happiness through random acts of kindness. The gesture has received praise for Devan and amusement at Nola’s response. “Nola’s like: ‘That’s cool and all, what about the other $70,000?'” joked TikTok user @chaydog321, while @therealvanity6 stated, “As a Walmart employee who sees people like her struggle to retire, this warms my heart. Bless your soul.” The video even elicited a response from the official GoFundMe TikTok account, which remarked, “This is exactly why we exist. Thank you for helping her!”