An 81-Year-Old Waitress Said She Couldn’t Afford to Retire. Then a Stranger Raised $300,000 for Her

• Tamie Konzier’s lunch outing with her son led to a viral TikTok after she overheard her 81-year-old waitress Betty say she couldn’t afford to retire
• Tamie initially thought to use any funds she received from the app’s Creator Rewards toward Betty’s next tip, but users encouraged her to create a GoFundMe
• In just one week, she raised more than $328,000 for Betty, allowing the elderly woman to finally consider retirement

A simple lunch outing between Tamie Konzier and her 10-year-old son turned into a life-changing moment for Betty, an 81-year-old waitress.

Betty caught Tamie’s attention not just for her warm demeanor but for the visible signs of physical strain as she worked. What Tamie overheard next would affect both of their lives forever.

“I just had my heartstrings pulled,” Tamie exclusively tells PEOPLE. “I could tell she was older and having to limp a little bit. Then I heard her tell the table behind me — her regular customers — that she couldn’t retire yet because her Social Security benefits weren’t enough.”

Betty revealed she received just more than $900 a month in Social Security, which wasn’t enough to cover her bills. The revelation struck Tamie deeply, prompting her to leave a $40 tip and record a TikTok video asking viewers to help make a difference.

Tamie initially hoped the clip would go viral so she could use the proceeds from TikTok’s Creator Rewards program to surprise Betty with a larger tip during her next visit. But within hours, the video gained traction online, quickly amassing millions of views and resonating deeply with viewers worldwide.

Strangers flooded the comment section with offers to help and urged Tamie to start a GoFundMe campaign. “Honestly, I didn’t think about a GoFundMe,” Tamie admits. “I thought maybe I’d make $100 from TikTok.”

Encouraged by the overwhelming response, Tamie launched the fundraiser with an initial goal of $25,000. Donations poured in at an unprecedented rate as people felt moved by Betty’s story.

Only a week after meeting Betty, Tamie had raised more than $323,000 on GoFundMe alone, with additional contributions coming through Venmo and Cash App totaling $4,650. TikTok earnings from the viral video added another $1,544 before taxes.

Tamie met Betty again one week after their initial encounter to share the news over lunch. While Betty preferred not to appear on camera or have her voice recorded for TikTok, Tamie describes her reaction as deeply emotional.

“She said she had been praying for a miracle and now feels like her prayers have been answered,” Tamie recounts. “She’s thrilled but also very humbled by all of this.”

Betty’s humility has been evident throughout the process. A single mother who worked tirelessly after losing her husband when her children were young, Betty has spent decades serving others despite facing tough times herself.

“She’s so deserving,” Tamie emphasizes. “Hearing stories from her coworkers about how giving she’s been her whole life makes me feel even better about what we’re doing.”

While the fundraiser has been overwhelmingly positive, it hasn’t been without its challenges. Betty expressed a strong desire for privacy throughout the process — a request that Tamie has honored despite criticism from some TikTok users who wanted to see Betty’s reaction captured on video.

“People are calling me out like, ‘We wanted to see the reveal,’ but I’m not going against her wishes,” Tamie explains. “She didn’t ask for any of this.”

Tamie also faced logistical hurdles as donations grew beyond expectations. To ensure transparency and protect Betty’s financial interests, she retained lawyers to set up a trust fund that won’t affect Betty’s Social Security benefits. “I want to do this the right way,” Tamie says. “It’s more complicated than I anticipated, but it’s worth it.”

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For Tamie, one of the most rewarding aspects of this experience has been setting an example for her son Leo, who was present during their initial encounter with Betty. “I hope he knows to always be kind to people because I say that every day when [my kids] leave — I say be kind to people,” she says. “I hope it teaches him empathy.”

Reflecting on the experience as a whole, Tamie hopes others will be inspired by this story: “If you can help someone, don’t hesitate; just do it,” she simply notes.

Tamie confirmed that the grand total raised for Betty stands at $328,739.18 so far — a staggering amount that will allow Betty to finally consider retiring after decades of hard work.