Ice Cream Vendor's Whole Stock Is Bought By A Family, To Raise Over $53k Helping Him Retire

The ice cream man, Don Rosario, a 70-year-old local vendor who got big on social media after being featured in a TikTok video sold ice cream despite the heat, pushing his ice cream cart through the east side of Chicago.

That is until one family decided that he would end his shift early. In just two days, a GoFundMe fundraiser has helped retire the man raising $53,000.

He reminded them of their rolemodels

Rosario’s shift took him to Oscar Gonzalez and Victor Dominguez; the two men and their families were having a Father’s Day barbecue party.

After buying their icecream from him, the two men agreed to buy all his stock so he could go home wih his family that day revealed to Chicago Tribune.

❝ The hard working man reminded them of their fathers, so learning about his background really touched them. ❞

Over $50,000 was raised for Don Rosario

The main reason the two men sympathised with Don so much was because of his explanation that he has suffered an injury, that has made it impossible for him to continue hios previous work as a carpenter.

Instead he found another way to earn income and keep himself busy.

❝ I don’t like to sit at home doing nothing and without a purpose. I have to thank God I’m still able to work, but I don’t have enough to ever be able to thank (the family) who have done this for me, it has made me so happy.❞

Michaelangelo Mosqueda posted the TikTok video that went viral. After a life of labor, in one day, they managed to raise over $53,000.

After being told how much was raised in his honor he cried in Spanish "I don't deserve this".

He emigrated to America to persue the Amercian dream

Back in 1969, Don Rosario emigrated to the United States from his native town of Zatacetas in Mexico. He became an official citizen in 1979. At the time, all they wanted was to be able to survive with his family.

❝ When I first decided to immigrate to the U.S., my only wish was that my family and I could eat once a day, at least. We were very poor. ❞

After picking fruit and vegetables for many years, he travelled around the country. He boasted "having many jobs" according to the Chicago Tribune.

In Chicago, he started his family and bought a house to raise his three children with his wife’s help. It wasn’t until 2015 that he had finished paying the mortgage and could start slowing down.

Don Rosario said he has made mistakes in his life, including run-ins with the law, but having to deal with them helped him to become a better person.

“He refuses to stop working,” said Lucero Del Real, one of Don Rosario’s daughters told Chicago Tribune.

When Don Rosario got injured, he reached out to Carlos Serrano, the owner of an ice cream shop called Las Tres Abeja, to ask for a paleta cart.

While Serrano was reluctant to agree, because Don Rosario was too old to be doing this kind of work during the pandemic, he inevitably caved in as he understood the plight of fellow Latino men when it came to earning money.

But on a good day, Serrano said that the pay would be $50 to $70 a day. “It made me happy to see Don Rosario so joyful when someone bought all of his paletas,” Serrano said.

❝ Don Rosario is not only a paletero, he reminds us of our fathers, our abuelos, who despite any hardships, age or health issues, they choose to keep working to earn money in a very honest way. He deserves this. ❞

The desire to help others is ever lasting

When Oscar and Victor decided to buy all of Don's stock, they were unaware of the massive impact it would have on his life.

The desire and wish to help him had such great intentions that he was able to retire and live the rest of his life in comfort.

You might think that the small acts of kindness you do to others won't matter, but one by one they add up and make a significant difference to others.