An 82-year-old disabled woman works at Walmart in Apache Junction, AZ, and she says she loves it, thanks to many positive interactions with customers. She has to work to pay her medical bills at several hospitals. A Walmart shopper takes notice and starts a GoFundMe and puts a video on TikTok that goes viral.
Carman Kelly, Walmart employeepicture by@rustywarrenknockersupgal on TikTok
Carman Kelly, 82, is a sweet older woman
CBS News 5 reported This Carman Kelly employee of Walmart in Apache Junction, AZ is both grateful and thrilled after Liz Rizzo was tricked into taking a video and posting it to TikTok. At the time of publication, this original video had been viewed approximately 15.5 million times.
Carman Kelly, 82, is a loyal Walmart host and receipt checker at the entrance to Walmart. She has her cane inside a grocery cart that she keeps nearby at all times. She enjoys coming to work and feels important in her work. She doesn’t want to quit working at Walmart.
She said:
“The customers, they hug me and they make me feel so special to them.” -Carman Kelly, Walmart employee (Source: CBS News 5)
It was then that she was first approached by Liz Rizzo on December 12, 2022, while doing her job. Liz was moved to film a short video for TikTok knowing that another elderly woman received over $100,000 from a GoFundMe and a TikTok video.
Carman, a disabled Walmart employee, has to go to work to pay her hospital bills and the TikTok video the caption says “not allowed to sit down” after Liz Rizzo asked him on video, “Aren’t they giving you a chair?” and Carman says, “No”, but then says, “I don’t need this, I have this”, and touches a Walmart grocery cart with his cane in the cart.
After the Carman Kelly story began to gain traction, Walmart was quick to release a statement saying:
“We respect reasonable accommodation and have a long history of working with associates with disabilities.” (Source: Wal-Mart)
GoFundMe set up for Carman Kelly’s medical bills
Asked about her medical bills, Carman Kelly shared details about her existing hospital bills:
She said:
“Banner Baywood, the hospital… over three thousand, I owe over three thousand to Mountain Vista.” -Carman Kelly, Walmart employee (Source: CBS News 5)
With over $6,000 in hospital bills, Carman must continue to go to Walmart for his income. So Liz Rizzo decided to create a GoFundMe page for her.
GoFundMe for Walmart Employee Carman Kellypicture byLiz Rizzo
*It should be noted that Carman has a slightly unique spelling to her name with an “a” instead of an “e”, and Liz Rizzo spelled her name with an “e” on the GoFundMe page, although her name is really spelled with an “a”. Also, it looks like the photo was uploaded sideways on the page.
At the time of the article’s publication, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $132,920 for Carman, with several anonymous donations of $1,000. The initial campaign goal was set at just $10,000 to cover his existing medical bills, plus a small supplement. By day four, the GoFundMe had reached over $105,000.
The description for the GoFundMe page reads:
“I was shopping at Walmart in Arizona and spoke with Carmen, an 82-year-old woman; the welcoming. She was leaning on a shopping cart with her cane inside the shopping cart. It broke my heart to see this elderly woman having to work.” .
I spoke to several other Walmart employees and store policy states that employees cannot sit down while working. I asked Carmen why she was working at 82 and she said because of her high medical bills.
I ask my TikTok family to donate any amount to help Carmen. I have her contact information and will follow up with her and post videos. I will give him all the funds raised. Thank you. (Source: Liz Rizzo, creator of GoFundMe)
Carman is grateful to everyone who contributed to her GoFundMe
She is very grateful. She told CBS 5 News:
“Thank the people who did this for me. I mean, it couldn’t have come at a better time.” -Carman Kelly, Walmart employee (Source: CBS News 5)
CBS News 5 reported that thanks to the money raised for her, Carman no longer has to live alone, with the risk of falling or other dangers that older people commonly encounter while living alone.
Liz Rizzo’s efforts have been a boon to her at her age in life, and she counts her blessings.
She said:
“Oh my god! I can’t believe it. I’m like a millionaire!” -Carman Kelly, Walmart employee (Source: CBS News 5)
kindness is free
It is very admirable what Liz has done to help this disabled elderly woman working at Walmart in Apache Junction, Arizona. Liz saw an opportunity to help someone who is working when she should be able to rest and enjoy life.
Liz Rizzo (left) and Carman Kelly (right) speaking to CBS 5 Newspicture byCBS News 5
How many years would an elderly person like Carman have to work at Walmart to pay his medical bills?
Maybe the rest of his life.
Thanks to Liz’s kind efforts and generous donors to the GoFundMe campaign, Carman can now live comfortably through her senior years and doesn’t need to go to work if she wants to rest and relax. She deserves it.
Do you know anyone in a similar situation? (Please share in the comments section)
Sources
GoFundMe page: “Carmen from Walmart Medical Bills.” Created by Liz Rizzo.
Polakoff, Elliot. “Apache Junction Walmart employee gets the best Christmas gift she could ask for(A-Z family) CBS News 5. December 16, 2022.
ICT Tac video: “Carman Kelly at Walmart.” TikTok user: @rustywarrenknockerssupgal
Another similar article by this author:
“Man uploads video to TikTok to help elderly NJ woman quit job at Walmart, raises over $100,000 in 24 hoursPress shot.
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