Warren “Butch” Marion is an 82-year-old Navy veteran and widower. The Cumberland, Maryland, resident is known as not only a hard worker but a kind and selfless person. He retired from his position at General Motors to help care for his ex-wife and her first husband until they died. Then, he took care of his wife throughout her battle with breast cancer.
After she died in 2005, he returned to work to make ends meet.
But that all changed when Rory McCarty, who owns Bug Boys Pest Control in Cumberland, needed batteries and went to a local Walmart, where Marion checked him out. Inspired by another TikToker who recently helped an aging Walmart worker retire, McCarty knew he wanted to do something.
So he took to his own TikTok account, which has more than 279,000 followers. He shared a video of a conversation between himself and Marion.
“82yr old Butch still putting in work,” McCarty wrote in the video’s caption. “Has anybody seen the videos where a guy raised 180 g’s to help an 82 yr old Walmart employee retire? We ought to do that for Butch. Who would donate?”
@bug_boys 82yr old Butch still putting in work. Has anybody seen the videos where a guy raised 180g’s to help an 82 yr old walmart employee retire. We ought to do that for Butch. Who would donate? #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #walmart #gofundme ⬠original sound – BugBoys
“As a business owner and knowing how hard it’s been to try to find good help for my business,” McCarty wrote on the GoFundMe page he created for Marion. “I was astounded seeing this little older man still grinding. Working 8 to 9 hour shifts.”
The response to his video was overwhelming. To date, the GoFundMe has raised more than $152,000.
McCarty has continued to post numerous TikToks chronicling his campaign to help Marion retire. In this one, a check for more than $108,000 is presented to the older man, who expresses his gratitude and love for everyone who helped him. “How could I get so lucky?” Marion asks in the video.
@bug_boys Amazing that people are still donating. Almost another $10,000 the last 2 days. Looks like I’ll be presenting Butch another check. Gofundme link in my bio #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #foryourpage #fy #fypage #retire #walmart #butch #veteran #navy ⬠original sound – BugBoys
As a result, Marion has officially retired from his job at Walmart. Here’s the post announcing his retirement after the new year begins in 2023:
@bug_boys Talk to Butch today. Butch said he will be working through the 1st of January. After 16yrs at Walmart he is hanging it up #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #fypage #fy #retire #walmart #walmartgofundme #walmarttrend ⬠original sound – BugBoys
“All I can tell you is the good Lord has blessed me for what I did in my younger years,” Marion told the Cumberland Times News. “What this is going to do for me at 82 years old is allow me to pay all my bills off, including my house and I will have nothing but my utility bills. I’ll be able to travel to Florida whenever I feel like going and see my kids. I’m very, very blessed.”
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
