APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) – A recent meeting in an Arizona Walmart has led to an unexpected gift that continues to give.
Carman Kelly, 82, has worked at Walmart for a little over two years, greeting customers and checking receipts. She uses a cane and leans against a cart to provide some relief during her shift.
When asked about Kelly’s situation, Walmart said in a statement to KPHO that “we honor reasonable accommodations and have a long history of working with associates with disabilities.”
Kelly said she absolutely loves her job. Even standing for hours at a time, there’s no place she would rather be.
“The customers, they hug me,” Kelly told said. “And they make me feel like I’m so special to them.”
Kelly thought she was done with work in 2004 but had to get a job as some hospital bills started to pile up.
The 82-year-old said she owes two different hospitals at least $3,000 each.
Last week a customer filmed her on TikTok to try to help the Walmart employee financially. At first, Kelly thought it was a fraud, but customer Liz Rizzo set out to change that one TikTok video at a time.
“I started filming. I wasn’t even thinking,” Rizzo said. “I just felt moved.”
Rizzo created a GoFundMe for Kelly with the goal of wiping out her debt.
“The amount she said was ten thousand,” Rizzo said. “And I said, ‘Perfect, I think we can do that.”
By the end of the first day, that goal was met. By the end of the fourth day over $105,000 had been raised.
“Are you serious?” Kelly said when she learned of the amount raised. “I can’t believe this. I’m like a millionaire!”
With Kelly’s medical debt soon to be a thing of the past, she no longer has to live alone. She no longer has to worry about falling and not being able to get back up.
“Thank you to the people that have done this for me,” Kelly said. “I mean, it couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Kelly said she could retire, but she loves her job and doesn’t plan to quit. Instead, she may just cut back on her hours.
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