A single mother of three who went viral for working solo at a Burger King restaurant after her coworker quit said she is now out of a job.
In a TikTok video, Nykia Hamilton tearfully narrated how she lost her job after making headlines.
“[Burger King] fired me because I’ve been late because of my kids,” she explained. “My kids come first. Y’all don’t pay for no babysitter, or nothing.”
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Last month, a TikTok video of Hamilton working alone at a Burger King in Columbia, South Carolina, got people talking. In the video, which went viral, she is seen juggling numerous duties at the fast food restaurant, as she prepares meals, cleans, and rings up customers all alone.
Many people commended Hamilton for her hard work and dedication, adding that it wouldn’t be out of place for her to have a “raise”.
Hamilton was encouraged to start a GoFundMe page, where she describes herself as a 25-year-old single mother of three children working two jobs to support her family.
“I just went viral for working on TikTok. If you wanna contribute, it’s ok. Thank y’all for the support,” she wrote. “I wasn’t expecting my life to change how it did. I really do everything for my kids.”
“I be missing out on my kids’ lives and I work a lot,” she said during an interview at the time with WACH outside of the Burger King restaurant, with tears in her eyes. “I have to provide for them, but I really don’t have time to spend with them—and it hurts me a lot.”
Hamilton said she usually works 12 hours a day alone at the fast food restaurant, handling several roles, including preparing the food and cleaning.
“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 explained. “Had to do the dishes, do prep, do the floor, do the front counter, drive-thru.”
Hamilton got a co-worker on the day of the WACH interview on July 9. “[My co-worker] has been here since 11 o’clock and will stay until close at 11,” she said. “We just don’t have any employees. Nobody wants to work anymore.”
Hamilton, amid the stress, was still thankful to her manager for giving her this job.
“I wouldn’t have no job because I do have a record, and it is hard to find a job with a record. And by grace of God, she gave me a job,” she said about her manager. “So that’s the only reason why I stayed for her.”
At the time of putting together this story, Hamilton had raised $64,000 of her $70,000 fundraising goal. Donations continue to pour in to support her amid her sudden job loss.
