Georgia mom saw teen work a shift at 'Burger King' on his graduation day. So, she changed his life forever

A few hours after receiving his high school diploma, 18-year-old Mykale Baker was already back behind the counter at the Burger King in Dacula, Georgia. His graduation stole still around his neck and medals visible beneath his uniform apron, he worked a late-night shift serving customers. His determination struck a chord with one customer, Maria Mendoza, who came through the drive-thru that evening. As she noticed him, she captured a short clip and shared it on her TikTok account, @mariabonita528, describing Baker as "radiating joy," which led to a wave of support that would alter Mykale’s path after high school.

Maria had just watched her daughter graduate from the same high school Mykale attended. Struck by his kindness and composure, she posted a short video and launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support his college education. "While many graduates spent the night celebrating with friends and family, one young man quietly showed the world what determination looks like. He didn’t do it for attention. He doesn’t even know his story went viral." Maria wrote on the GoFundMe page she created for him, as reported by The New York Post. The TikTok clip quickly gained attention for what it represented, and people flooded the comments to express their support.

@val_sant wrote, "Donating to his GoFundme now! Congrats, Mykale, we’re all celebrating with you and rooting for you." @leo62311 added, "I'll donate to that cause, hard working and should be very proud of his accomplishment. Many more to come with that mindset." @desanz_creations commented, "And he was doing it with such happiness and great attitude, I bet that meal was delicious. He made it with pride and love." The fundraiser was set up to help Mykale pursue his college goals, something he had put on hold due to financial constraints, which, unfortunately, is a reality for many students. According to a 2015 study by Ohio State University, 70% of college students reported feeling stressed about their finances. Several children like Baker, don't get this lucky break, and never get to follow their dreams due to the high cost of education.

Maria noted that he hadn’t even been scheduled to work that night but came in after noticing how busy the store had become. He did this despite it being a special day for him, which goes to show that, beyond having a strong work ethic, this boy is also incredibly compassionate. In just a few days, the fundraiser had raised around $6,000 and reached $22,000 in less than a week. When Maria returned to the Burger King on May 26 to update him on the campaign’s progress, Mykale was overwhelmed. In a second TikTok video shared by Maria, he hugged his mother and Maria as he fought back tears. "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," he said.

He also shared that the experience was both unexpected and overwhelming, saying, "I feel amazing. I’ve watched videos of this happen, and I never thought something like this would happen to me. I’m so thankful it did." Maria later said that she was struck not only by his actions but also by how humble and composed he was in the face of it all. "His dedication and quiet strength really moved me. I’m just grateful I got to do something for him," she told 11Alive. The campaign has since surpassed $110,000 as more people continue to learn about Mykale’s story. Maria said she hopes it inspires others to notice the effort young people put in every day, even when no one is watching.

You can follow Maria Mendoza (@mariabonita528) on TikTok for more daily life content.