An 88-year-old Michigan veteran and the social media influencer who raised $1.7 million to help him retire are launching a new effort aimed at lifting up 50 other Americans who find themselves in need after serving their country.
The For Your Service campaign will benefit one such veteran from each U.S. state. The crowdfunding effort was developed by Samuel Weidenhofer, a content creator who last year helped Michigan vet Ed Bambas finally retire from his cashier job at the Meijer store in Brighton.
Weidenhofer, whose uplifting content focuses on philanthropy and surprise giveaways, said that after leading the effort to help Bambas, he realized countless other American vets are in similar straits.
“We saw there were so many Eds out there with their own story, those who had served their country and really struggled,” he said.
Bambas facing medial issues
Bambas tearfully accepted a $1.7 million donation last December. The money came from a crowdfunding effort spearheaded by Weidenhofer after the two met while the octogenarian was working his shift in the Meijer store in Brighton.
Weidenhofer started the fundraiser because he was touched by Bambas’ story. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bambas said most of the pension he received after retiring from General Motors in 1999 was spent on medical care for his wife, who suffered from a chronic illness for many years before she passed away in 2018.
After receiving his $1.7 million check in December, Bambas has had ups and downs in his life.
He continued to work at Meijer through the holiday season as his way of thanking his coworkers and the community. Bambas retired for good on Jan. 5 and has been taking it easy while planning a visit to see his brother in North Carolina for his upcoming birthday.
However, he’s also been undergoing medical treatment for a recently diagnosed infected gallbladder.
“I’m lucky to be around right now,” Bambas said during an interview this week. “I thank God every day for waking me up.”
After benefiting from Weidenhofer’s work and the generosity of countless donors, Bambas has pledged $1,000 for each of the 50 veterans selected as part of the For Your Service campaign.
“I hope there will be a groundswell of support for all of my fellow vets,” he said.
Many American veterans ‘left behind’
The campaign, coordinated and hosted by the GoFundMe online platform, launches May 1, coinciding with National Military Appreciation Month.
Weidenhofer has set an ambitious goal of raising at least $10 million in total. To help generate donations, he’ll be traveling around the country, getting other creators and celebrities to help promote and support the effort.
The 50 individual recipients were identified through existing GoFundMe efforts, as well as charities and foundations across the country.
Weidenhofer, who is Australian, said he’s excited to help American veterans, many of whom have been “left behind” after serving their country.
“You look at these incredible people that have served their country and have been, a lot of them, left to struggle,” he said. “And I hate saying that, but it’s the reality.”
He’s hopeful that his fundraiser not only will benefit the 50 recipients but that it may also spread awareness of the need for better policies and programs to support veterans.
“At the end of the day, it’s really not about the 50 veterans, but it’s for all the veterans out there who have served and put their life on the line,” Weidenhofer said. “I can’t wait for the people we meet along the way, the memories we make, the stories we share.”
Information about each of the 50 veterans and how to donate to them is available on the For Your Service Campaign Community page on GoFundMe.com.
People can also follow the effort through Weidenhofer’s TikTok and Instagram accounts.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan veteran, 88, online influencer team up to help 50 vets in 50 states
Reporting by Max Reinhart, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
