Red Baron pizza worker Walt Z. draws donations after viral prank video

A Michigan frozen pizza worker identified as Walt Zerod, known online as "Walt Z.", has drawn hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations after a video of a prank encounter at a grocery store went viral. The clip shows him stocking Red Baron pizzas when a prankster pretends to steal $10 from him through a phone sound mimicking an Apple Pay transaction. Reports differ on the exact total raised, with figures ranging from more than $480,000 to nearly $600,000 depending on the date and outlet.

What the video shows

The roughly two-minute video, first posted to an Instagram account known as ThreeOfAKind, shows the prankster asking Walt for the time. When Walt pulls out his phone, the prankster plays the payment sound and says he has taken $10. Walt, visibly upset, says he intends to report the prankster and walks away.

The video then cuts to a later interaction at a store counter, where Walt becomes more agitated as the prankster keeps provoking him. Walt swears at him and says he is tired of the joke. The prankster repeatedly apologises, and Walt questions whether he is sincere. The original account has since been deleted, according to The Detroit News.

Walt describes his workload in the clip, saying he is struggling to pay his mortgage while supporting four children, and that he was supposed to be home an hour earlier. He says he must start work at 5 a.m. the next day and cover 10 more stores.

Fundraiser and company response

A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Luke Oakenshield, an Arizona man who said he did not know Walt personally when he created it. Oakenshield later reported that he had made contact with him. A GoFundMe spokesperson confirmed the organisation is working with Oakenshield to ensure the money reaches Walt safely.

Red Baron's parent company, Schwan's, told the New York Post that Walt is a direct store delivery employee and that the incident happened in August. Red Baron posted on X that "employee of the month" nominations had been closed, and wrote: "He's still here. He's got a fan club. Including us."

Walt Z. speaks through fundraiser update

In a Friday update on the fundraiser, Walt thanked donors and said he and his family are doing well. He said he has kept details private to protect his family and that he has received many interview requests. He said he is considering sharing his story, but only with people who will treat him and his family with care and respect their privacy.

The Detroit News reported that his wife said the family was declining media requests for now. Commentary about the video has focused on prank videos that target people at work, and the clip has generated millions of views.

What we know so far

Walt has thanked supporters and says he is considering whether to speak publicly. The fundraiser total is still rising, and the company's statements have so far been limited to social media posts. The original prankster has not been identified in the reports.