Viral Red Baron Employee
Homeless Veteran Who Raised $500K For Worker Gets Own Fundraiser
Published
The homeless veteran who helped raise over $500,000 for a Red Baron employee bullied by a TikTok prankster is now on the receiving end of the internet’s goodwill.
The back-to-back good deeds all started when Luke Oakenshield started a GoFundMe for Walter E. Zerod — the Red Baron worker who was picked on by a TikTok prankster.
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In the viral video, Walt reacts emotionally after the TikToker pretended to take $10 from his phone via Apple Pay.
Since Luke started the fundraiser … the GoFundMe has raked in more than $500,000 and counting!
Walt wrote in response … “I wanted to take a moment to personally thank everyone who has donated, shared this fundraiser, or left a kind message. The kindness and encouragement you’ve shown me and my family have meant more than I can put into words.”
Now Luke is getting some goodwill sent his way, too.
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Red Baron even tweeted in support of its employee, saying, “He’s still here. He’s got a fan club. Including us.”
In a GoFundMe set up on his behalf, organizer Dom Certalic writes … “Luke Oakenshield is the homeless veteran who started the viral GoFundMe for Walt Z and helped raise a quarter million dollars for Walt while Luke himself was homeless.”
Calling Luke a friend, Dom adds that he “has been carrying more than anyone should have to carry alone” — including relationship issues, unemployment, homelessness and sleeping in his car.
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Revealing that Luke has borne these struggles quietly and suffers from PTSD … Dom says … “Donations will go toward housing for himself, getting settled, securing more reliable transportation, and paying off debt that is holding him back.”
As of Friday afternoon, Luke’s GoFundMe has generated more than $9,000 toward his $13,000 goal. Keep ’em coming, donors!
