
I graduated then went to work a Burger King shift - now I'm $138,000 richer
A Georgia teenager working at Burger King just hours after his graduation ceremony last week caught the eye of a woman sitting in the drive-through line.
Maria Mendoza, was impressed at how cheery he was to simply be doing his job, even right after graduating from high school.
On a whim, she recorded the teen, Mykale Baker, putting together an order and posted it to TikTok with the caption: 'This young man deserves a scholarship.'
That video got more than 4 million views, with many commenters prodding Mendoza to start a GoFundMe so people could donate to his college education.
On Tuesday, Mendoza posted a follow-up video of her visiting the 18-year-old at the Burger King in Dacula and surprising him with the fundraiser, which at that point had raised just over $6,000.
Upon learning that hundreds of strangers had donated to help him pursue an education, Baker broke down crying before hugging his mother and Mendoza.
As of late Saturday afternoon, more than $138,000 has been raised for Baker. Now, thousands of well-meaning strangers have donated to make sure the youngster has a great future ahead of him.
'I just want to say thank you to my parents and all the people that see the good in me and believe in me, and donated all that money to me,' Baker said in an interview with 11Alive.
Mendoza told the outlet that she was moved by Baker's work ethic and was inspired to repay him for being such a stand-up person.
'While many graduates spent the night celebrating with friends and family, one young man quietly showed the world what determination looks like,' Mendoza wrote on the GoFundMe description.
'Just after receiving his diploma - still proudly wearing his medals - he reported to his shift at Burger King. He didn't do it for attention. He doesn't even know his story went viral. But thousands of people were moved by his dedication, humility, and work ethic, she wrote.
Mendoza later found out that he wasn't even scheduled to work that night, but volunteered to help out his coworkers because there was a huge rush after graduation.
So, just hours after he walked the stage at Mills Creek High School, he was right back at Burger King to pitch in.
'He was so kind, so polite,' Mendoza told 11Alive. 'Radiating joy, even after such a big day. His dedication and quiet strength really moved me. I felt called to do something to recognize that.'
'I'm just grateful I got to do something for him,' she added. 'He inspired me.'
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