A simple act of kindness has turned into a life-changing moment for an 85-year-old Tennessee movie theater employee after millions of people watched a viral video of her working alone and decided they wanted to help. That single clip led to a GoFundMe that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the old lady’s retirement.
Mary Ellen Eron, a longtime employee at an AMC theater in Maryville, Tennessee, became an unexpected internet sensation after theatergoer Brooklyn Green shared a short video of her cleaning the cinema. In the clip, you can see Eron pushing a cleaning cart and hauling a large garbage bag while carrying out her duties during a shift and while enduring what appears to be severe back problems.
The video struck an emotional chord online. Green accompanied the footage with a heartfelt message urging people to help the elderly worker enjoy retirement after decades of service. “Let’s secretly help retire this beautiful woman. No one deserves to work at this age,” Green wrote alongside the post, though at this point, it wasn’t really a secret anymore.
Green, who claimed she had never met Eron before filming the video, also launched a fundraiser with the hope that a few friends might contribute. Instead, the campaign exploded across social media platforms as viewers shared the story and praised Eron’s dedication. Within just 48 hours, more than 7,500 people had donated, raising an astonishing $146,317 and counting.
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According to Green, she initially planned to keep the campaign a secret and surprise Eron once the fundraising effort gained momentum. However, word spread rapidly after the video went viral, accumulating millions of views and likes online. Neighbors informed Eron that she had become an internet celebrity before Green had the chance to reveal the fundraiser herself.
Despite the financial windfall, Eron’s retirement plans remain uncertain. Some people were glad with the fundraiser, praising Green and others, with comments like, “My heart hurts watching this. Her work ethic is admirable, but no elderly person should have to keep working out of necessity at that age,” and “My heart broke watching this too. Shoutout to the young lady who started the GoFundMe over $145k raised! Miss Mary deserves rest and peace.”
However, some skeptics also raised their political concerns, which supposedly affect people like Eron, “Trump keeps his rich friends rich. Republicans keep finding money for Israel, then tell everyone there’s nothing left for social programs at home. That’s not fiscal discipline. That’s a priority list.” In any case, Eron has received the GoFundMe donations and was ecstatic with the help she received from strangers, which, for many, is what matters.
