dpRed Baron said on X that “employee of the month” nominations were closed after an employee who was harassed by a prankster verbally defended himself in a viral video this week.
The the Red Baron worker, who was harassed by a prankster while stocking pizzas at an unnamed grocery story, was identified as “Walt Z”, and a Gofundme effort on his behalf has raised more than $480,000 after the video showing him emotionally responding to a prankster went viral.
Walt is “blow away” by the people who have donated to him, according to the Gofundme account. So far, the account has raised $480,000, as of Friday morning, Oct. 30.
“I wanted to take a moment to personally thank everyone who has donated, shared this fundraiser, or left a kind message. The kindness and encouragement you’ve shown me and my family have meant more than I can put into words,” Walt Z posted on the Gofundme account. “My family and I are doing well, and I’m grateful to have supportive people around me. I’ve been keeping things private to protect my family’s privacy, and I appreciate everyone respecting that.”
Walt said he was receiving “a lot of interview requests” and that he doesn’t seek out the spotlight.
“I’m considering sharing my story. Before making that decision, I want to make sure it’s with people who will treat me and my family with care and respect our privacy,” he wrote.
The video was originally posted and deleted to Instagram by the account @thea.ctiveworld, also known as ThreeOfAKind.
The viral video, which has been widely shared, shows the prankster pretending to steal $10 from Walt via their cellphones, who was stocking frozen pizzas in a grocery store.
In the video, the prankster approaches Walt to ask for the time and as Walt pulls out his phone, the prankster plays a sound mimicking an Apple Pay transaction and tells him he took $10 from him.
“I’m not in the mood for this crap right now,” the Red Baron worker says. “You think this is funny don’t you?”
Walt, who is visibly upset, says he’s going to report the prankster, who is not seen in the video, and walks away. The video then cuts to Walt speaking to someone who appears to be store staff.
“It’s not a joke to me,” Walt shouts as the prankster who this time comments on taking $20. “My life is hard enough as it is. I have kids at home that went to bed without me. I was supposed to be at home an hour ago and I’m still out here working.”
Walt, who confronts the man and loudly swears at him, says he probably now will get kicked out of the store and that he will have to get up at 5 a.m. the next day and do 10 more stores.
He tells the man that he is struggling to pay his mortgage while supporting his four children and is visibly upset as he describes his work schedule.
Red Baron Pizza, on Thursday, Oct. 30, posted in a statement on X, saying “He’s still here. He’s got a fan club. Including us.”
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Red Baron pizza worker goes viral after impassioned video confrontation
