Kenneth Harmon—affectionately known on the Internet as Sad Papaw—invited everyone to a giant burger cookout, and unlike his first attempt to cook burgers, everyone showed up this time.
As the photo of Harmon staring into his burger spread online earlier this month and grandkids Kelsey and Brock Harmon updated a captive audience, many expressed a wish to eat a burger with Papaw. A few days after he went viral, Papaw decided to invite everyone out to eat some of his burgers with him at a special cookout in Purcell, Oklahoma. Burgers cost $2 and they made shirts for the occasion, and the proceeds would go towards paying Kelsey and Brock’s college tuition, putting money away for the other grandchildren, and to charity.
JUST GOT DONE TALKING TO PAPAW AND HE WANTS TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT FOR A BURGER NEXT SATURDAY👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/HZppI3Rdws
— Brock Harmon (@BHarmon_10) March 19, 2016
The Harmons were prepared for big crowd, ordering more than 2,000 burgers for the occasion. The Internet didn’t disappoint and came out for the occasion. Papaw finally had the audience he deserved.
Currently having a burger with #SadPapaw #Papaw #PapawsCookout @AubreyMassey pic.twitter.com/y6zZYhRPqN
— Maybe: Kelsey (@Card_ashi_en) March 26, 2016
https://twitter.com/JeriSasser/status/713767339381010432
Dan (left) drove seven hours from Missouri for Papaw's cookout. Kate and Ryan drove 12 hours (!) from Minnesota 🍔👴🏼 pic.twitter.com/xe8roZcwkq
— Tamerra Griffin (@tamerra_nikol) March 26, 2016
Looks like our Hefty party supplies turned #SadPapaw into Happy Papaw! #HeftyHeftyHefty pic.twitter.com/ndV6hvFMjv
— Hefty (@Hefty) March 26, 2016
https://twitter.com/tannerosbear/status/713803728231370752
https://twitter.com/tannerosbear/status/713769583539171328
The grandkids showed up!!!!! #FnKRoadTrip #Papaw pic.twitter.com/1m2WsGogCj
— Frito from “Frito and Katy” (@FritoOnY100) March 26, 2016
The man, the meme, the legend folks! #SadPapaw #papawcookout @NEWS9 pic.twitter.com/tYYYG7enyl
— Grant Hermes (@GrantHermes) March 26, 2016
https://twitter.com/stooley__/status/713799761069887488
The line for #papawcookout is insane! So much love for Papaw! #Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/kC0GENy2zL
— Victoria Bumgarner (@vickybumgarner) March 26, 2016
Some people drove several hours to eat one of Harmon’s burgers, where some waited in line for 45 minutes to take a photo with him.
https://twitter.com/tannerosbear/status/713765775656427521
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDa9cNJNy01/
Here in Purcell Oklahoma all the way from Virginia to get a burger from @_papaw_ pic.twitter.com/KvBNlpjmsC
— Justin Smith (@JustinLSmith15) March 26, 2016
I MET PAPAW💕 pic.twitter.com/5OvpgXBK0k
— ash (@AshleyPhelps97) March 26, 2016
A burger made with grandfatherly love? You can’t beat that.
H/T Mashable | Photo via Valters Krontals/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)