Just hours after walking across the stage to receive his high school diploma, Mykale Baker was back at Burger King – flipping burgers, bagging fries, and helping his team crush the evening rush.
Still wearing his graduation stole and medals, the teen skipped the celebrations and chose hustle over hype, inspiring a stranger to raise more than $230,000 for his future.
On May 21, Georgia’s Mykale Baker took his mother and grandmother to the Burger King where he’s worked for over a year to celebrate his graduation from Mills Creek High School with a Whopper.
While many of his pals were partying, the 18-year-old – who had picked up his diploma hours earlier – noticed the late-night rush at the fast-food restaurant and quickly jumped over the counter to pitch in.
With the pride of a freshly minted graduate still glistening on his chest, he pulled up his gloves and got to work, not realizing that his life was about to change forever.
‘Radiating joy’
Baker, who was raised by a single mother, grabbed the attention of another mom, who – after her own daughter’s graduation from a different high school – was visiting the burger joint for a late-night snack.
“He was so kind, so polite,” Maria Mendoza told 11 Alive. “Radiating joy, even after such a big day. His dedication and quiet strength really moved me. I felt called to do something to recognize that.”
Inspired by the young man, who was “quietly showing the world what determination looks like,” Mendoza captured a clip of him happily preparing burgers over a smoking grill and shared the clip on TikTok.
“You can see he is so proud to carry his medals,” she wrote, noting that graduation ended after 10 p.m. “TikTok, do your thing!”
Over 4.5 million views later, the world was in awe of a teenager who, rather than chase the spotlight, chose quiet service and steady dedication.
‘Quietly showed the world’
As likes and comments flooded in, Mendoza wasn’t satisfied with simply showcasing Baker’s hustle. She took it a step further and launched a GoFundMe to raise a few thousand dollars to help him with his post-secondary goals.
To generate some buzz around the campaign, Mendoza shared another social media clip, inviting netizens to contribute and “Help this humble graduate chase his college dreams.”
“While many graduates spent the night celebrating with friends and family, one young man quietly showed the world what determination looks like. Just after receiving his diploma – still proudly wearing his medals – he reported to his shift at Burger King,” she writes on the GoFundMe, that’s raised more than $230,000 of the $60,000 goal. “He didn’t do it for attention. He doesn’t even know his story went viral. But thousands of people were moved by his dedication, humility, and work ethic.
“All funds raised will go directly toward helping him with college tuition, books, supplies, and other educational needs.”
‘Selfless’
On May 26, Mendoza returned to the Burger King and surprised the recent grad with the money raised for his future – at the time $6,000 – bringing him to tears.
“I don’t think he’s ever noticed how selfless he is until now,” Mycah Baker told the New York Post of her brother, the youngest of eight children. “He’s always done these things without a lot of people seeing it. It’s something that comes naturally to him.”
“Our family is extremely grateful that somebody like Myke (his family nickname) is getting the attention that he’s ultimately always deserved,” Mycah added.
Tearful gratitude
When the kind-hearted woman asked his plans for college, Baker explained he was financially restricted but was hoping to go to a trade school.
Addressing Mendoza’s TikTok followers, the young man – still overcome with emotion – said, “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 and get my mechanical (sic).”
Fighting through his tears, Baker added, “I never thought this would happen to me, I’m very thankful.”
And the kindness didn’t stop there. Burger King’s own foundation stepped in and added a $10,000 scholarship. Suddenly, a teen who had once faced post-grad uncertainty was handed the keys to a future previously out of reach.
Mykale Baker didn’t chase fame – he chased purpose. In a world eager to spotlight the loudest or the flashiest, he reminds us that real strength can be quiet and humble.
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