In an inspiring story from Georgia, a Burger King employee decided to lend a hand to his coworkers during a busy late-night shift while proudly wearing his high school graduation cap and medal.
Mykale Baker, an 18-year-old who recently graduated from Mills Creek High School, has shared his plans to attend Gwinnett Technical College in the fall to study automotive technology. He hopes to become an auto mechanic and eventually start his own business.
Baker gained attention after a customer, Maria Mendoza, spotted him hard at work in the Dacula Burger Joint on May 21st. She recorded a video and posted it on TikTok, which quickly went viral, amassing over 4.5 million views.
Mendoza captioned the clip, saying, “Look at this young man who went straight to work at Burger King right after graduation.”
Moved by the warm reception to the video and Baker’s dedication, Mendoza initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support him on his journey to college. The fundraiser exceeded expectations, raising $231,600 – a staggering increase from its original target of $60,000.
Baker has expressed plans to use part of the funds for car repairs, with the remainder set aside strictly for his schooling. Despite initial intentions to take a gap year due to financial constraints, he decided to push forward with his education, influenced by his upbringing as one of nine children raised by a single mother.
His sister Mica remarked, “I don’t think he realizes how selfless he is,” highlighting that these acts of kindness seem to come effortlessly to him.
In an additional gesture, Baker and Mendoza’s daughter, who also graduated from Mills Creek High, were each awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Burger King Foundation.
Mendoza’s daughter, Daisy, plans to study neuroscience at Georgia State University this fall. Reflecting on their connection, Baker stated, “It brought our family together. She’s part of my family, and I’m part of hers now.”
Mendoza expressed her gratitude in a follow-up video, saying, “Thank you, everyone. I have no words to express how grateful and blessed I am.”
