A 21-year-old woman in Tennessee, United States raised more than $146,000 in less than 24 hours for an 80-year-old cinema worker after noticing her cleaning up rubbish at an AMC theatre.
asserted
her → raise → theatre
What began as a TikTok video and a small fundraising effort soon attracted thousands of people online, with donations far exceeding the $500 the young woman had initially hoped to collect.
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woman → begin → 500
According to WVLT, Brooklyn Green had gone to watch a film with her grandparents at the AMC theatre in Maryville, Tennessee, when she noticed an elderly employee pushing a cleaning cart and emptying rubbish.
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employee → accord → rubbish
The woman was working hard, and Green decided to record a short video of her.
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Green → work → her
“I just saw her work ethic.
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I → see → ethic
She was just working really hard,” Green told WVLT.
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Green → work → WVLT
She later posted the video on TikTok and created a GoFundMe campaign to help the worker, hoping she could eventually enjoy retirement.
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she → post → retirement
Green initially expected that friends and family might contribute around $500.
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friends → expect → 500
Instead, the video spread rapidly, and donations crossed $100,000 within the first day.
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donations → spread → day
The total eventually reached approximately $146,000 before Green returned to the theatre to surprise the woman.
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Green → reach → woman
After launching the fundraiser, Green returned to the theatre to find the elderly employee.
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Green → launch → employee
However, the woman was not working that day.
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woman → work → ?
Green spoke to a manager and learnt that her name was Mary.
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name → speak → manager
According to the report, Mary had worked in theatres for more than 45 years.
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Mary → accord → years
Managers told Green that she enjoyed her job and did not want to stop working.
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she → tell → job
They said Mary was concerned that things might go downhill for her if she stopped working at her age.
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she → say → age
Green also learnt that Mary regularly helped other people.
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Mary → learn → people
According to the information shared with her, Mary supported her church and people experiencing homelessness.
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Mary → accord → homelessness
Her willingness to help others became another reason Green wanted the fundraising effort to succeed.
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effort → help → others
Green recalled a conversation with Mary about the people she supported.
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she → recall → people
“She told me that she helps a mother and child and some of the homeless, and I told her that it comes back tenfold,” Green said.
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Green → tell → her
As the TikTok video gained attention, Green began sharing updates about the fundraising campaign.
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Green → gain → campaign
In one update, she explained that Mary was unaware of the video and the money being collected for her.
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Mary → explain → her
Green also told followers that Mary might not want to accept the donations.
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Mary → tell → donations
According to the manager, Mary was reluctant to stop working, and Green acknowledged that the elderly woman might choose to give the money to other people or charities.
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woman → accord → people
The possibility prompted criticism from some social media users.
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possibility → prompt → users
They questioned whether the donations should be returned if Mary did not want the money or decided against retirement.
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Mary → question → retirement
Green responded by making it clear that Mary would have complete control over the funds.
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Mary → respond → funds
"Guys, I said she will decide regardless what to do with the donations.
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she → say → donations
If she decides to give it to a charity or whatever then that is her decision.
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that → decide → charity
She is getting every penny, deep breaths lol," Green wrote.
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Green → get → penny
She also acknowledged that some people had criticised her for starting the campaign without first speaking to Mary about retirement.
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people → acknowledge → retirement
"I have gotten a lot of support, but also a lot of backlash for assuming she wants to retire, as well as her not being aware that I was doing this," Green told Storyful, according to CBS News.
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Green → get → News
Mary reacts to fundraiser
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Mary → react → fundraiser
Despite the criticism, Green continued with her plan to meet Mary and personally tell her about the donations.
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Green → continue → donations
Green eventually returned to the AMC theatre while Mary was working and surprised her with news of the fundraising campaign.
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Mary → return → campaign
By then, donations had reached approximately $146,000.
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donations → reach → 146,000
Green showed Mary the amount on a tablet, revealing how much money strangers had contributed after watching the TikTok video.
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strangers → show → video
Mary was overwhelmed by the response and thanked everyone who had donated.
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who → overwhelm → everyone
“Thank you so very much to all the wonderful people that have donated money.
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that → donate → money
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
