An 85-year-old Massachusetts veteran is still working hard to make ends meet, a public fundraising campaign is attempting to send him into retirement

The community has come together to support a Massachusetts Air Force veteran to help him with financial security and daily expenses after a lifetime of hard work. 

A GoFundMe has been launched by social media kindness creator Sam Weidenhofer as part of his “For Your Service” campaign, a new initiative honoring veterans in all 50 states. The campaign grew directly out of the story of Ed Bambas, the 88-year-old Army veteran whose GoFundMe raised nearly $2 million after a video of him working at a grocery store to make ends meet went viral. 

According to his daughter and a GoFundMe spokesperson, 85-year-old Ken Avery “joined the Air Force as soon as he could to build a better life. While stationed in Syracuse, he survived a tragic barracks fire that took the lives of seven fellow airmen. He continues to honor them to this day.

“After his service, Ken worked for Eastern Airlines as a crew scheduler. He was well loved by his coworkers, but when the company shut down, he lost most of his pension. That loss made it hard for him to feel secure financially. Still, that job brought him the love of his life, his wife Junelle. They shared nearly 45 years together before she passed away from cancer in 2017.

“He visits her every day, sharing updates about their children and six grandchildren. Their bond remains strong, and he carries her love with him in everything he does. Family has always been at the center of his life.

“Ken later worked for the U.S. Post Office, but his pension was not enough to retire on. At 65, he found joy working as a ticket taker for the Boston Red Sox. He takes pride in his work and was named Ticket Taker of the Year in 2025. Because the job is seasonal, he still relies on unemployment during the off months.”

The selection is part of a nationwide effort that launched just in time for Military Appreciation Month in May. You can find Ken’s story and all of the other verified fundraisers on the “For Your Service” community page. Following the page and the activity feed allows anyone to see updates along the campaign as they happen and leave positive comments of support for these veterans.