Gail Lewis. That’s the name getting lovingly memed online by Tiktokers. The Walmart employee bid farewell to the company she had worked at for a decade.
She recorded an emotional video with some very awe-inspiring and sad words. But, as is expected of the internet, it was morphed into various other things.
Yet, it’s undeniable that there are at least five reasons why people online have fallen in love with her. That’s perhaps why the memes and posts are not mean-spirited but rather funny.
Gail Lewis went Viral for posting a TikTok on November 16, 2023, where she bid farewell to the Morris, Illinois’ Walmart she had worked at for ten years. People online made memes and yet loved her sincerity as well as her love for her co-workers. They also related to her intense emotions and the need to choose higher-paying jobs.
Who Is Gail Lewis and Why Is She Famous?
No one knew who Gail Lewis was before November 16, 2023. She went viral for making an emotional TikTok (@fluffygaileena) video where she talked about quitting her job at Morris, Illinois’ Walmart, where she had worked for ten years.
The video began with Lewis in the Walmart saying to a walkie-talkie:
“Attention Walmart, this is Gail Lewis. 10-year associate Morris, Illinois 8-4-4, signing out, good night.”
The video then cuts to Gail sobbing in her car, clearly upset after her last day is over. She said:
“So today was an end of an era for me. What you just saw was me signing out for the last time at my Walmart that I have worked at for 10 years.”
She further explained why she was so emotional:
“It’s a happy sad because I’m gonna be going to a better job and those people became like family. I’ve been through a lot with them. They watched my back, I watched theirs. They helped me out, I helped them out.”
Lewis further revealed that she and her co-workers shared a tight bond. She explained:
“We even went through a f–king pandemic together. It just hurts, but it’s a happy sad because where I’m going, I’m gonna be better off where I’m at, that’s all.”
Lewis didn’t give an exact reason for leaving, but it’s presumed it’s because she got a better job, as she said in her video.
The video has been viewed more than 25 million times at the time of writing and has more than 3.5 million likes. So clearly, everyone is loving her. But it’s for various reasons and not just one.
5 Reasons Why The Internet Loves Gail Lewis
5. She Is Great Meme Material
When the TikTok was posted, nobody knew for sure what Gail Lewis’ story was, so people made it up, and that’s how plenty of memes about her came to be.
Some joked that Walmart’s stocks were down after she quit, while others said she had a career akin to being in the NFL.
Many also posted videos thanking Lewis for her service with sad music playing in the background and added reaction images of military personnel saluting or crying.
These ironic and sarcastic memes have spread her name far and wide across the corners of the internet.
4. She Seems Like A Chill Person
Thanks to everyone tweeting and memeing about her, Gail Lewis went viral pretty quickly. Thankfully, she didn’t have an adverse reaction to her newfound fame.
She shared in a Facebook message to NBC Chicago (via NY Post) that this entire thing is like a dream for her. Gail said:
“Words really can’t describe my gratitude. It almost feels like a dream. I would never guess that this would get this kind of attention.”
3. She Was A Great Employee
Many online appreciated that she worked at one Walmart for a decade without job hopping.
In fact, Carrie Moses, the Walmart store manager for Morris’ location, expressed gratitude for Lewis’ dedication. Moses said (via NY Post):
“I am grateful to Gail for her service at the Morris, IL store, and she will be greatly missed. I wish her all the best in her future opportunities.”
Also, the fact that Gail thanked her co-workers made many feel that she is a genuine person who nearly had an emotional breakdown over losing the friends she had made over years of working together.
2. Her Emotions Were Genuine
It’s never easy to get out of one’s comfort zone and leave a job one has worked at for years. But the fact that Gail Lewis did and was also open enough to share her experience and emotions with everyone online made her brave in the eyes of many.
1. Her Journey and Struggle Was Relatable
In our careers, we go to a job to just work and then end up making friends who become dear to us.
While it’s essential to go for a better career opportunity when it comes up, it doesn’t make leaving the job and the people any less easy.
Something similar happened to Gail Lewis, and anyone who has ever worked a job could relate to her.
That’s why many wished her luck in her future career and job.
Did you relate to her experience? Have you ever felt such intense emotions while leaving a long-term job?
Let us know in the comments below.
Source: NY Post
