More than $43,000 in donations pour in for injured teen working at Chick-Fil-A to feed the homeless
A crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $43,000 for an 18-year-old Chick-Fil-A employee who went to work despite his injuries in order to earn money to help the homeless.
Jakeem Tyler, from Avon, Indiana, became an inspiration to many after Chick-Fil-A customer Cameron Nelson shared a photo of him working at the restaurant chain wearing a neck brace and an arm sling.
In a Facebook post dated Dec. 8, Nelson informed Chick-Fil-A about Tyler's situation.
"The line for the drive-thru was pretty long, so I decided to go inside. When I entered, I saw a gentleman behind your cash register, who was working with a neck brace and a sling. For anyone to work in those conditions is commendable, but it's amazing for someone in his generation to have that type of work ethic," he wrote.
When Nelson asked Tyler about his injuries, the employee revealed that he was involved in a car accident days earlier. Tyler said that he was working because he needed the money, and he wanted to use his earnings to feed the homeless this Christmas.
Tyler, who works at the branch on Rockville Road in Indianapolis, said in an interview with WKRN that he was still stiff and sore when he came into work that day.
"This man Cameron comes in, who I never saw in my life, he asked me why I'm working and I was like I'm working to feed the homeless and just to pay bills like a young teen does," he said.
Tyler said that Nelson wanted to help him, so he gave Nelson his name and contact info. Nelson told Chick-Fil-A on Facebook about his plans to help the teenager and asked if the company was willing to match the donations or sponsor Tyler's organization.
The company issued a statement praising the teenager's work ethic and said that it will support Tyler's efforts to serve the homeless.
Tyler, an aspiring evangelist, credits his parents for his passion for helping the homeless. He said that he would like to travel around the world, spread the Gospel, and work with young teens with leadership.
The GoFundMe page launched by Nelson has exceeded its goal of $2,500. More than 1,700 people have donated $43,000 in just 11 days.