‘I’ve been working since I was 11 years old’: 82-year-old cashier finally retires after TikToker helps raise more than R1.7m for him

82-year-old Butch Marion. Picture: TikTok

82-year-old Butch Marion. Picture: TikTok

Published Jan 12, 2023

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Can you afford to retire?

As much as you look forward to the day you no longer have to work, it takes years of planning and saving in order to do so.

For many, that’s simply not possible and they find themselves working well into old age.

Butch Marion, 82, was one of those people, until now.

Marion, a Walmart cashier, worked his last shift on Wednesday, thanks to TikTok user Rory McCarty (handle @bug_boys) who helped raise more than R1.7 million for him.

In mid-December, McCarty posted a TikTok video in which he tells Marion, who has been working since he was 11 years old, about a woman who set up a GoFundMe account for an 82-year-old woman who works at Walmart and managed to raise $50k about R850 000) in four days.

The video ends with him asking Marion: “Now, imagine that someone can raise that kinda money for you?”

@bug_boys Let's give Butch the most amazing retirement gift ever seen. Gofundme link in bio #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #foryourpage #fy #fypage #butch #retire #walmart #reporter #foxnews #cnn #tiktok ♬ original sound - BugBoys

With more than three million views, the video went viral and McCarty started the GoFundMe account soon afterwards.

"As a business owner and knowing how hard it's been to try to find good help for my business, I was astounded seeing this little older man still grinding working 8 to 9 hour shifts," McCarty wrote on the GoFundMe page.

"I wanted to help this navy veteran to live the remainder of his years travelling to see his kids in Florida. Get him off his feet for 8 hours at a time. And do the things he would love to do that he may not be able to for financial reasons."

According to Fox 5, Marion plans to take it easy now that he’s retired.

"He says he wants to sit by the river and have a beer and enjoy his life, which now he'll be able to do"