GM Retiree Forced Back To Work At 88 Can Finally Clock Out

The auto industry loves to talk about heritage, as if the workers and customers who supported a brand for decades are like family. But for Ed Bambas, that story took a darker turn when the former General Motors employee found himself working a grocery store checkout at age 88 after losing the retirement he thought was secure.

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Bambas retired from GM in 1999 after a long career, expecting to enjoy the later chapters of life in peace. Instead, the 2009 bankruptcy fallout came calling years later. Like thousands of other employees, he faced a decision.

According to NBC News, in 2012, as part of its post-bankruptcy restructuring, Old GM offered lump-sum buyouts to approximately 42,000 retirees and surviving beneficiaries. The move aimed to slash its U.S. pension liabilities by 24 percent.

As reported by CBS News, at the time, Bambas chose to take a $300,000 lump-sum payout in place of continued pension payments in 2012. The one-time settlement ended his regular retirement income and later left him financially exposed.

Then life piled on more weight. His wife became seriously ill, medical bills mounted, and nearly all of his life insurance vanished. While the decision was his, the broader fallout of GM’s restructuring still shaped the limited options he faced. Yep, the new GM’s PR department must be loving this story.

Back to Work

At 82, with his wife gone and savings depleted, Bambas did something he’d never expected to have to do. He went back to work. Not on the GM factory floor, but at a Meijer grocery store outside Detroit, standing on his feet eight hours a day, five days a week, scanning barcodes to make ends meet.

For years, that’s where the story would have ended. Another quiet casualty of corporate restructuring and vanished pensions. Except this time the internet noticed. A young Australian social media influencer, Sam Weidenhofer, met Bambas while visiting the US and filmed him explaining why he was still working just shy of 90.

Cash Flowed In

A GoFundMe campaign exploded. More than 15,000 people donated, some of them dropping in as much as $10k and within days, the total hit $1.7 million, one of the largest individual fundraisers in the platform’s history.

Weidenhofer returned to the store and handed Bambas an oversized check, finally opening the door to a comfortable retirement.

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The money will easily clear the vet’s roughly $225,000 in debt and finally allow Bambas to see out his old age in comfort. He wants to travel, visit his brother, and get back into golf, Fox8 reports, but says he’ll keep working another month or two, just to wind things down.

That’ll give him ample time to work out what car he should buy with with his new pile of cash. If he’s not too sour with GM, and his ticker is up to it, a 1,250 hp (1,267 PS) Corvette ZR1X has got to be worth a look. What would you buy at 88 with nearly $2 million in the bank?

Editor’s note: GM reached out to clarify that Bambas voluntarily selected a lump-sum payout in 2012, ending his monthly pension payments. We’ve updated the article to reflect this. The automaker also provided the following statement:

“Mr. Bambas’ personal story is deeply moving, and it’s wonderful to see the outpouring of support for him. We are grateful for what he has contributed to GM and to our country. While we don’t share details about individuals, in 2012 salaried GM retirees who were receiving monthly pension payments were given several options, including continuation of monthly lifetime payments or a lump sum payout, if they preferred. Additionally, starting in 2008, retirees older than 65 receive a $300 monthly lifetime payment for supplemental Medicare coverage.”

@itssozer Ed is 88. A Veteran. A man who kept working because of $225K+ in debt he didn’t want to leave to his family. ❤️ And today… we handed him a check for $1.77 million. He cried. We cried. And his life is forever changed. 🥹❤️ Thank you to everyone who made this miracle possible. This is so much bigger than Ed, it’s proof that humanity is still beautiful… #love #kind #veteran ♬ original sound – Samuel Weidenhofer