Viral Burger King mom Nykia Hamilton GoFundMe raises over $21000 as community offers support to single mother of 3

A 25-year-old single mother of three from Columbia, South Carolina, Nykia Hamilton, has gone viral on TikTok after a video surfaced of her working solo to run a short-staffed Burger King.

In the aftermath of an emotional statement, viewers were so inspired that a GoFundMe page generated more that $22,159 to support Hamilton and her family.

The video, posted on July 6 by TikTok user Dejlatae, showed Hamilton juggling multiple responsibilities inside the fast-food restaurant. According to the New York Post, with no other employees present, Hamilton worked tirelessly to prepare meals, handled the drive-thru, cleaned and served customers, effectively doing the work of several people at once.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tasha K🥂 (@unwinewithtashak)

The video quickly garnered over 130,000 views, with viewers praising her dedication and resilience. Nykia Hamilton spoke emotionally to WACH News about how she was abandoned when a co-worker walked out in the middle of her shift.

"One of my employees just quit on me, and they didn’t have anyone else to come in, so I had to work by myself, and close by myself," she said.

Nykia Hamilton also stated that she frequently worked more than 12-hour shifts to provide for her three children.

"I be missing out on my kids’ lives when I work so much... I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them, and it hurts me a lot." she added.

Burger King's response to Nykia Hamilton's remarks as she sets up a GoFundMe page

Moved by her dedication and hard work, people demanded Hamilton to create a GoFundMe page in order to solve all her financial issues and therefore Hamilton eventually created one.

"I am a 25-year-old single mom of 3 who works 2 jobs. I just went viral for working on TikTok. If you wanna contribute, it's ok. Thank y'all for the support. I wasn't expecting my life to change how it did. I really do everything for my kids," the GoFundMe campaign read.

The campaign has raised above $22,000, thanks to more than 650 donations as of July 16, with only a few thousand dollars left to reach its goal of $24,000. Numerous donors and supporters did leave supportive messages online, praising her work ethic and her strength as a mother.

https://t.co/BLznA17429. This women should be hailed why others are on public assistance she is working into provide a better future for her children.

— Mike Ponti (@PontiMike) July 16, 2025

Burger King has since responded to the situation, saying it does not adhere to company policy for one lone person to run a restaurant themselves.

"At Burger King, it is our policy that all company and franchise owned restaurants require more than one Team Member to be working per shift... We are working with the Franchisee of this location to understand what happened and take any necessary action," they added.

Despite the difficulties, Hamilton expressed gratitude for the chance to work, and added that her manager hired her on the spot despite her criminal record. Nykia Hamilton’s story has struck a chord with thousands around the country, illustrating the challenges of being a working parent and the power of mutual aid.