American football fan, Carson King had jokingly held up a sign on TV asking for people to send him money to buy beer.
Now, just over a week on, the 24-year-old has raised more than a $1m (£800,000) and is donating the funds to a children’s hospital.
“I was hoping to make a couple people laugh! I never expected to be on TV, and definitely did not except anyone to send any money,” he told Sky News.
Referencing a beer brand, King’s sign read “Busch Light Supply Needs Replenished” and gave his username for mobile payment service Venmo.
When cameras caught the sign on September 14 and broadcast it across America from the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones game, viewers at home began to send him money.
When the cash flowing into his account hit $600 (£480), Mr King conferred with his family and tweeted after the game that he decided to donate all the proceeds (minus the cost of one case of beer) to University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
King told Sky News, “I was hoping, best case scenario, someone in the crowd sees the sign, gets a laugh, and sends $20 for a case of Busch Light.”To go from that to over $1.065million in total contributions – including matches from Busch and Venmo – is amazing.
“It just shows that once people hear about a good cause, they are willing to help.”
