Strangers raised $2M to help him retire. Now he's helping other veterans

Ed Bambas, 88, was bagging groceries at Meijer during one of his regular shifts when his life changed forever.

Samuel Weidenhofer, a social media influencer, shared a video of Bambas in December. In the TikTok, Bambas shared how the cost of caring for his wife and a confluence of other factors made it impossible for him to retire. The video went viral, and more than 60,000 online donors raised nearly $2 million for Bambas in less than a week.

Now, Bambas wants to help other struggling veterans retire, too.

On April 30, Weidenhofer is launching the For Your Service Campaign to raise $10 million for 50 more veterans, one from every state. Bambas is donating $1,000 to each of the 50 GoFundMes to get them started.

"I never dreamt that I could be in this position where I wasn't forced to work 'til I die," much less give so much to those in need, Bambas told USA TODAY.

It speaks to Bambas' character, Weidenhofer said, that "the first thing he's thought of, rather than splurging or buying a new house, it's really to help veterans across the country."

"That's the type of person Ed is," Weidenhofer said. "His first thought has been to help others."

After Bambas' story went viral, Weidenhofer said he was "inundated with so many veterans struggling throughout this country." Many of them had lost homes and hope as they scrambled to salvage what they could of their golden years. Weidenhofer hopes the For Your Service Campaign will both honor Bambas and spread awareness about the barriers to retirement for thousands of veterans in the United States.

"Every story is so unique and so impactful," Weidenhofer said. "But at the end of the day, I don't think it's just about helping 50 veterans. I think it's about spreading awareness so there can be, in a way, better systems in place so there's more support out there for veterans."

Weidenhofer will be traveling across the country to meet with veterans and share their stories during the campaign.

What has Ed Bambas been up to since retirement?

Despite the GoFundMe success and finally getting to retire in January, Bambas has had a rough start to 2026.

He told USA TODAY he has developed a medical issue with his gallbladder and "almost died." Still, he's grateful. There's "a lot less pressure" on him now that he doesn't have to go into work every day or worry about how to pay his bills.

"Each day is a little easier to wake up to," Bambas said.

And getting to spend time with Weidenhofer, he said, brings him a lot of joy. The two reunited in April to announce the launch of the For Your Service Campaign.

"We became instant friends," Bambas said.

"It's just good to see my friend again, more than anything," Weidenhofer added.

Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Reach Madeline at [email protected] and @maddiemitch_ on X.