A Georgia teenager, who went viral for working his shift at Burger King immediately after his graduation ceremony, has now decided to pursue higher education.
Mykale Baker's decision came after a TikTok video, filmed by a customer, racked up millions of views. Maria Mendoza, who was at the Dacula outlet, was drawn to Mr Baker, still dressed in his cap, gown and medals and choosing to work instead of enjoying his summer vacation.
She launched a GoFundMe account for Mr Baker and has since raised $231,600, a whopping 386 per cent extra from the initial $60,000 goal.
Earlier, Mr Baker thought of postponing his education for a while because of financial difficulties but has now made a decision to pursue his career in automotive technology. "I didn't have enough money for school, so I was thinking about taking a gap year, but thank you to everyone now," he said.
When asked what he would do with the money, he said part of it would go toward repairing his car, and the rest would be placed in a trust to be used solely for educational purposes.
On the GoFundMe page, Ms Mendoza praised Mr Baker, saying he quietly showed what determination looked like when, at the same time, most graduates were busy celebrating the day with their loved ones. She wrote, "He proudly wore his medals to his shift at Burger King shortly after receiving his diploma."
The 18-year-old didn't do this with the purpose of going viral, and had no idea that his story had gained so much attention, she said, "His work ethic, modesty, and dedication touched countless people," she added.
Ms Mendoza said she was deeply moved by Mr Baker's dedication, the reason she felt the urge to do something meaningful to help him. "I'm grateful that I was able to help him," she added.
