Businesses in the United States constantly struggle to discover and retain talented employees daily. Assuming that after working for the same employer for over 30 years, not even missing a workday, you would be eligible for something more substantial than an ordinary gift bag.
An HMS Host worker named Kevin Ford, who has served at the McCarren International Airport Burger King, Las Vegas, for the past 27 years, is the exception.
As part of his 27th year at Burger King, a coworker gave Ford an appreciation gift. Ford decided to record a video thanking the coworker for the gesture and share it with the world. The translucent drawstring backpack, functioning as Ford’s treat bag, can be seen in the video.
Some pencils, a keychain, a lanyard, a bag containing Reese’s Pieces, two Life Savers rolls, and a re-usable Starbucks cup were included.
Despite Ford’s sincere effort to convey thanks, many were disgusted by the poor prize he received after serving for twenty-seven years. As a result, the very humble Burger King worker was surprised to receive such an outpouring of gratitude. He does, however, acknowledge that times have changed considerably.
According to Ford, HSM Host had already eliminated several of its lengthy employee recognition initiatives, such as one that awards loyal personnel bonuses for key milestones such as 20 or 30 years of serving after COVID.
Among these initiatives that have been eliminated is the one that awards these bonuses. When the 54-years employee finally opened the envelope that contained the movie ticket, however, all of his hopes and expectations were quickly dashed.
His staff members had been working there longer than he had and had not even given a gift bag. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he was concerned for others around him.
Ford’s initial video, viewed more than 2 million times over social media, has sparked a flow of support and love for him and his family. People were moved by the man’s sincere thankfulness, which is why the video received so much attention.
After receiving an unexpected outpouring of support from total strangers, Ford’s daughter Seryna launched a GoFundMe campaign to help collect money for her father’s travel expenses to see him in Texas.
She set out to raise $200 to pay the plane ticket cost when she first began the campaign. However, after a short period, they surpassed their initial expectations well. Donations continued to pour in, even after the goal was raised many times to accommodate the outpouring of generosity.
Even more amazing is that an amount above $270k raised now equals almost 10,000 dollars for every year that Ford has worked.
The majority of contributors provided amounts ranging from $5 – $30, even though there were a few large donations, such as a gift of $5,000 from actor David Spade. Having over eight thousand donors allows even the smallest sums to be added up very fast.
When Ford received an invitation to come on the Today program to discuss his extraordinary experience with total strangers, he was finally able to get the day off that he had anticipated for months.
However, a few minutes later, the hosts had another surprise for him that was more valuable than money. Backstage, Ford was welcomed by Seryna, his daughter, as well as his three granddaughters, Caroline, Charlotte, and Jovonne, all of whom expressed their extreme joy at seeing their grandfather.
It goes without saying that the hard work and dedication of the fifty-four years employee of Burger King has been well repaid. Some benefits are quantifiable, while others are incomparably priceless.
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