A local mom raised thousands of dollars for a freshly graduated Georgia high schooler after she saw him rush to work just hours after his ceremony, still in his graduation clothes.
“Mykale Baker picked up a shift at the Dacula, Georgia, restaurant where he worked after seeing the late-night rush on May 21,” New York Post reported. “The 18-year-old had graduated from Mills Creek High School hours earlier and was still wearing his graduation stole and medals while donning plastic gloves to bag orders at the fast food joint.”
Baker caught the attention of customer Maria Mendoza, who recorded a TikTok of hard-working Baker slinging burgers instead of enjoying his summer vacation. The video had been viewed over 3 million times by Thursday morning. The drive-thru interaction occurred around 10 p.m., after Mendoza watched her daughter graduate from the same school.
Mykale Baker / GoFundMe
Mendoza said she was struck by how Baker was “radiating joy,” and decided to start a crowdfunding campaign to help him “chase his college dreams.” That GoFundMe had raised almost $50,000 by Thursday afternoon, nearly doubling its $25,000 goal.
“While many graduates spent the night celebrating with friends and family, one young man quietly showed the world what determination looks like,” Mendoza wrote on GoFundMe. “Just after receiving his diploma — still proudly wearing his medals — he reported to his shift at Burger King.”
“He didn’t do it for attention. He doesn’t even know his story went viral. But thousands of people were moved by his dedication, humility, and work ethic,” she wrote.
Mendoza told 11 Alive that Baker’s “dedication and quiet strength really moved me,” and that she “felt called to do something to recognize that.”
“I’m just grateful I got to do something for him,” she said.
Mendoza went back to Burger King on May 26 and showed Baker the thousands of dollars raised for his education. Mendoza posted a second video to TikTok showing Baker’s reaction. The video shows the teen brought to tears over the donations and hugged his mother and Mendoza.
Baker revealed that he had been uncertain about his post-graduation plans because of financial limitations, and had thought about going to trade school.
“Thank you so much, I was thinking of taking a gap year because I didn’t have money for school, but thank you to all of you now, I might actually go straight to technical college and get my mechanical (sic),” he said to Mendoza’s TikTok followers.
“I never thought this would happen to me, I’m very thankful,” Baker added.
