An 81-Year-Old Waitress Was Struggling To Retire; Then This Happened
An 81-year-old waitress from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, endeared herself to audiences online after a viral video documented her struggle to retire due to the financial strain she was experiencing.
An elderly waitress at a diner in Pennsylvania has spent her life working, yet she was unable to retire due to financial constraints. Betty, aged 81, earns only $910 per month from her social security and continues to work at Eat’N Park in Pittsburgh as expenses surpass the support amount.
Betty’s plight came to light after a customer at the diner, Tamie Konzier, overheard the elderly staffer discuss her struggles. Konzier, as per reports, was touched by her story. She recorded a video and shared it on TikTok, hoping to raise funds for the elderly worker- who is a grandmother to three kids.
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According to a Daily Mail report, the video quickly went viral on social media and amassed 4.4 million views. Many users expressed concern over the state of elderly care in the United States. They called it ‘shameful’ that someone her age was still forced to work. Meanwhile, others questioned the absence of familial support. However, a few people also argued that financial struggles often stemmed from personal choices.
Watch the video here:
Something is VERY wrong in AmericaElderly server is in her 70’s “and she can hardly walk"
The table next to this woman asked “why she was still working," she said “she only makes $910 a month on social security. And she has to still work because her bills exceed $910 a month." pic.twitter.com/o7ay5DTNwt
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 28, 2025
Konzier was moved by the response and set up a GoFundMe to help Betty retire. The fundraiser initially aimed to collect $25,000 but has raised nearly $28,000 from over 6,500 donors. The media reports stated that the customer had contacted Betty’s workplace to coordinate a surprise presentation of the funds. In another sentimental video update, Konzier thanked everyone for their generosity and said that she could not believe this had happened.
As per another NY Post report, the fundraiser reached $140,000 when Konzier revealed the news to Betty. The elderly worker had joked about getting a financial advisor now. Konzier revealed that Betty did not want to fully retire but rather cut down her hours. She said that the job keeps her going. Konzier also revealed that she told Betty she was welcome to do whatever she wanted to do with the money. The report added that the GoFundMe page had raised $222,129 by Friday morning.
As per the reports, Betty’s story sparked a debate about financial security for retirees in the United States. Many have pointed out the inadequacy of the social security benefits and the increasing cost of living, which forces many older persons to continue working well beyond retirement age.
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