A South Carolina mother of three who went viral for working a grueling 12-hour shift alone at Burger King has now raised more than $120,000 through GoFundMe, turning a moment of hardship into one of unexpected community support.
Nykia Hamilton, a 25-year-old single mom, became the subject of a viral video earlier this year after a customer recorded her juggling the drive-thru, the grill, and the front counter entirely by herself.
The footage struck a chord nationwide, symbolizing both the resilience of frontline workers and the pressures of understaffing in fast food.
In the days after the video spread across TikTok, X, and Instagram, supporters launched a GoFundMe campaign to help ease her financial struggles.
Burger King corporate distanced itself from the situation, saying in a public statement that “no worker should ever be left to run a restaurant alone,” acknowledging the viral incident as a clear failure of management at the franchise level.
That chapter ended.
But just weeks after her sudden rise to visibility, she revealed that she had been fired from her job at Burger King. Nykia explained that as a single mother with young children, she often struggled to arrive on time, while the restaurant’s franchise owners stated she was terminated for “repeated attendance issues.”
Then on Aug. 21, she launched another GoFundMe campaign to support her family now that she had lost her job. There has been a massive outpouring of donations .
She has raised a little more than $120,000 out of the target of $130,000. She says the money raised from the campaign will allow her to support her children, pay bills, and begin planning for a more stable future.
Many online have framed her story as a symbol of the challenges faced by low-wage workers and working mothers balancing jobs with childcare responsibilities.
“You’re an amazing Mama and powerful woman working those 2 jobs! It’s awful what happened but like they say when one door closes another will open! I hope this support helps you to be able to get ahead and get you a good career that will put you in a position where you can make good money and work less to be able to be with those adorable babies of yours. Be proud of yourself and keep pushing forward! Much love,” a donor commented.
Her journey — from being overworked and underpaid, to going viral, to raising life-changing financial support — underscores the growing role of crowdfunding as a safety net for workers in precarious jobs.
