What is the price of loyalty to one’s workplace? Well, for Kevin Ford, a 54-year-old US cook and cashier who did not take a single day off while working at Burger King for 27 years, it was a meagre “goodie bag”.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, the internet banded together to raise almost R7 million for the hard-working grandfather.
This all started when a video showing Ford proudly displaying the contents of the bag he was given by the fast-food company for his loyalty went viral.
Social media users were not happy with Burger King, saying the multi-national company did not care nor appreciate the sacrifices Ford had made to achieve this feat.
The bag contained a movie ticket, sweets, a Starbucks cup, two pens, and other items.
Soon after, Ford’s daughter Seryna, started a GoFundMe to give her father a proper reward. So far, the fund-raiser has amassed close to $400 000 (almost R7 million).
"The man in that video is my father. He has worked at his job for 27 years, and yes, he has never missed a day of work," wrote Seryna in the GoFundMe’s description.
Ford said he was happy with the goodie bag and was grateful to have even received something because others who have worked decades at Burger King do not get anything for such achievements.
When asked by “NewsNation” how he managed not to take some time off his job, Ford said: “I also don’t know how I did it. Maybe I am a robot. I just worked as hard as I could.”
With the money, Ford plans to visit his daughters and grand kids. He also wants to put it towards the children’s college tuitions.
IOL Business