Butch Marion, an 82-year-old veteran and Walmart cashier, retired Wednesday after a GoFundMe for him raised over $100,000 in a matter of days.
Marion went viral on TikTok after a customer, Rory McCarty, took a video of Marion when he bought batteries at a Maryland Walmart in December, according to Fox 5.
Wednesday was the first day of the rest of Butch Marion’s life. https://t.co/ep1gmDLGOQ
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) January 4, 2023
McCarty was inspired by another viral TikTok of a woman who started a GoFundMe for a Walmart employee. His video received over 2.6 million views and shortly after, McCarty set up a GoFundMe for Marion to retire. The GoFundMe for Marion began Dec. 18 and recently reached its $100,000 goal, with the largest single donation being $3,000, Fox 5 reported. On Wednesday, McCarty presented Marion with a $108,000 check from the GoFundMe, which has now raised over $114,000 for Marion’s retirement.
“I feel like a new man,” Marion told Fox 5. “This is just unreal.”
“Just never dreamed this would happen,” McCarty told the outlet. “I’m just so excited for him.”
Marion is a Navy Veteran and previously retired from a job at General Motors to take care of his ex-wife and her husband before they both passed away, the outlet reported. He previously worked for about 30 hours a week. (RELATED: Jeremy Renner Posts Selfie From Hospital Bed)
He plans on using the funds to visit his daughters and grandchildren in Florida for a 3-week trip, after not having seen them for years. Marion will also use the money to pay bills and relax more, Fox 5 reported.