Bullied bus monitor Karen Klein collected her retirement check today in Toronto, saying she isn’t sure what to do with the $703,833 raised by more than 30,000 people from 84 countries.
Canadian Max Sidorov – like 1.3 million others – watched the YouTube video of students taunting Klein, 68, on a school bus in Greece, New York.
He took to fundraising website Indiegogo hoping to generate $5,000.
“I didn’t want to let this go; I wanted to do something for this woman,” Sidorov told CBC. “As we can see now, the world has rallied around and donated a lot of money to send her on a dream vacation, and maybe even retirement.”
More from GlobalPost: Karen Klein, bullied bus monitor, to retire
Klein, a grandmother, retired from her job as bus monitor, but told reporters she hasn’t yet watched the 10-minute video.
The video, posted in June, shows her trying to ignore the boys' insults.
She said her miserable treatment has also shown her a better side of humanity.
“It’s just been wonderful,” she told reporters. “I’ve enjoyed meeting lots of nice people, and I hope that kids learn from what happened to me.”
The students – four middle school students – received one-year suspensions from school and the bus.
Sidorov is a Toronto nutritionist.
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