An Unexpected Encounter

In a remarkable act of compassion, a young man named Devan Bonagura noticed an elderly woman working at a Walmart store and became curious about her situation. Upon discovering that her mortgage was preventing her from retiring, he decided to take action.

A Viral Video

Bonagura, a resident of New Jersey, shared a 15-second video on TikTok featuring an 81-year-old woman named Nola Carpenter during her shift at a Walmart in Hackettstown. The video quickly went viral, accumulating 30.8 million views and 4.6 million reactions, capturing the attention and empathy of viewers.

An Act of Generosity

Learning that Carpenter had been working to pay off her mortgage, Bonagura decided to create a GoFundMe page titled “Let’s help Nola retire.” Despite facing backlash and even suspension from his job, Bonagura remained determined to assist Carpenter.

A Surprise Visit and Financial Support

In a subsequent video, Bonagura surprised Carpenter and transferred $110,000 from the fundraiser into her account. However, it was clear that the amount was insufficient to fully pay off her mortgage. Bonagura continued the fundraising efforts, eventually reaching a total of $186,323 from 13,500 donations.

Gratitude and Retirement

In a heartfelt update video, Bonagura conducted a Q&A session with Carpenter and handed over the entire amount raised. Carpenter expressed her gratitude for Bonagura’s assistance and confirmed that she could finally afford to retire after over 20 years of working at Walmart.

Online Appreciation

Netizens widely recognized and appreciated Bonagura’s efforts on various social media platforms. The heartwarming story touched many, eliciting positive comments and messages of support.

If this heartwarming story has touched you, please take a moment to share your feedback. Meanwhile, you can also read another inspiring story about a stranger who generously helped a widower with seven children by presenting him with a check for $8,000.