Burger King worker gifted £318k for retirement after 'not missing day of work in 27 years'


Kevin Ford, 54, is set to get over $400,000, the equivalent of £318,180, for his retirement.

This is in recognition of his services as an employee of Burger King where he works in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Last year, a video of Mr Ford went viral which showed him opening up a gift bag as a reward for not missing a day of work in 27 years.

Thousands of Americans were moved by the clip and believed he should be given another gift.

Since then, a GoFundme fundraiser for his retirement has been set up in his honour, which has seen donations from celebrities such as David Spade.

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Currently, the campaign has raised $401,670 (£319,508.40) for Mr Ford’s retirement with the goal to hit $450,000 (£357,952.50).

His daughter Seryna set up the fundraiser to help pay for her father to visit his grandchildren in Texas.

Originally, the goal was a couple of hundred dollars but has since ballooned to over $400,000 very quickly.

She shared on the page why she has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for her father’s retirement.

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She explained: “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. He originally began working at this job as a single father when he gained custody of me and my older sister 27 years ago.

“Then as our family grew and he remarried, he continued to work there because of the amazing health insurance that was provided through this employer because it was unionized.

“This got all four of his daughters through high school and college with full healthcare coverage.

“My dad continues to work there because though he does look young, he is coming up on retirement age and leaving would cost him his retirement.”

Appearing on NBC’s Today Show, Mr Ford shared his gratitude for the campaign to help fund his retirement.

He said: “It’s like a dream, a dream come true, that nobody can think of this. It’s just overwhelming.

“I’m grateful for everything. I’m grateful for every day I wake up, that I can go to work, that I can be a good citizen, be a good American, and just do my part. I’m just grateful for everything I get.”

As well as his job with Burger King, the 53-year-old also works for DoorDash, the food delivery company.

According to Mr Ford, he makes deliveries for eight to 12 hours after finishing his Burger King shift.

At the bottom of the GoFundMe page, those who have made donations can also leave comments in support.

One person named Grace Allison said: “You are truly an inspiration, Mr Ford. Not many people have this testimony. You are a blessing to your family and all of us. May God richly bless you and keep you.”



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