Bullied bus monitor receives $700k check

Ex- bus monitor Karen Klein, of Greece, N.Y., is surrounded by school children while riding a tourist duck boat in Boston on June 26, 2012. / AP Photo/Steven Senne

(CBS/AP) TORONTO - A New York bus monitor who was relentlessly bullied by four middle school students has received more than $700,000 raised by a Canadian man.

Karen Klein, 68, received the check at a ceremony Tuesday in Toronto.

How to spend $500K? Bullied bus monitor eyes options
N.Y. bullied bus monitor Karen Klein retiring
Video of Karen Klein, elderly school bus monitor, being verbally abused goes viral, sparks charity

A spokeswoman for the fundraising site Indiegogo said more than 30,000 people from 84 countries contributed to the fund, which was set up in June. Their sympathies were stirred by a cellphone video of the taunting uploaded to YouTube by a student on the bus. The amount far exceeded the expectations of Max Sidorov, who started the drive with the goal of raising $5,000 to send Klein on vacation.

Karen Klein and Max Sidorov meet for the first time at her home in Greece, NY.

/ Lori Coleman, Light+Ink

Two days after Sidorov launched the online fundraiser, donations had already skyrocketed over $500,000. The bus monitor from Greece, N.Y., who made a $15,506 salary from her job at Athena Middle School, said she never saw so much money in her life. She has since retired.

Klein told "CBS This Morning" back in June that she plans on spending a lot of the money on her children. Brian, one of Klein's three grown kids, told CBS News they plan on hiring a financial adviser.

The video shows Klein trying to ignore a stream of profanity, insults and threats from the seventh-grade boys. At one point a student said to Klein, "you don't have a family because they all killed themselves because they don't want to be near you." Klein's oldest son killed himself 10 year ago.

The four students apologized shortly after the video went viral have been suspended for a year from both their middle school and from using regular bus transportation. They are currently enrolled in a special alternative education program and required to complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens. Klein told The Associated Press she was "fine" with the punishment.

Sidorov, a nutritionist, did not personally know the Kleins when he started the Indiegogo charity. The two met in late June when she invited him to her Greece home.

(Watch: Students bully Karen Klein, get suspended)

[EsOne]

She deserved every penny.

[jellyhedehogz]

She did not deserve the money. I hope she gives all the money to acharity.I,m surprised the school didn,t do any thing.

[518Shawnee]

She did deserve the money, and their parents ought to pay for their bad kids as well

[netjunkie1]

Now she has enough money to buy a fast car and taunt the students on the bus!

[Diaa22]

Hope she will look into a little health and diet education from Dr. Joel Fuhrman ('Eat to Live') or Dr. John McDougall. www.drmcdougall.com and www.forksoverknives.com She'd really have the last laugh if she got her youthful vigor back! (It's completely possible and easy to do) Thanks for your great example!

[Kalameredith]

Food Nazis Everywhere

[andie52]

I have some sympathy for Karen but not once did she report this bullying to the school The bus drivers excuse was that because there was too much noise on the bus they didn't hear the bullying. If those kids were that much out of control both she and the bus driver are at fault.

[chef_tim_w]

My wife is a bus driver and aid. Reporting these little demons is pointless, last week my wife was physically assaulted and niether the school or bus company did anything. She was even told she wasn't allowed to call the police. Good, good, good for this lady!!!

[Babiesgrandma]

how could it possibly be her fault? She didn't ask to be bullied, yes she should have reported it, but in the long run the only ones at fault are the 4 kids that taunted and bullied her

[jsargent100]

She is 68 and now she can retire properly since she now has more than 401k. A younger person can use the job. Unusual circumstances but everyone deserves a rest in their life. Life has not been easy on her if she has lost a child. The children were doubly cruel since they decided to post their taunts on Youtube in order to further humiliate this person. Yes, I wish someone would give me 500k but that's life and maybe she did win something but she has lost someone in her life that she dearly wishes she could have back. Good on her!

[Kalameredith]

Now the government will take half of that away from her.

[MeDogLover]

Although my heart goes out to her for the pain and suffering that she had to endure for so long with those ungrateful kids, I think that the amount of money she received is extremely over the top.

I hope that she will set a good example to the younger generation by donating a good amount of it for programs that will help kids be better human beings and citizens. In doing so, she will have truly taught the younger generation the real meaning of ''kindness'' towards humanity, and they can pass this onto their generations.

[caljack430]

I think the fact that she got that much money is a display of kindness! Its not the government, the mean kids or even the school district that is giving her that money... its hundreds of people across the globe who were moved by seeing someone suffer. I'm willing to bet most of those people only donated a few dollars, but when people rally together it is amazing what can add up from it. Let her use it for whatever she sees fit!

[MeDogLover]

Calijack430, I believe it is called ''pay it forward''

[AnnieDanny]

This is a wonderful story. This woman worked hard her whole life and this is a great sendoff for someone who was soooo patient with everybody else's kids. I hope the money is a wonderful blessing for her and her family. It's a great story, even though it started out so badly.

And maybe this will be a lifechanging experience for those boys as well. They're still very young, I hope it makes a difference in their lives.

[AOCGUY]

I see other bus monitors paying the kids to pick on them now.

[Jaylah54200]

This is simply obscene.

[wlrichardson]

This woman receives over $700,000 for basically not doing her job correctly and 2 little childred have lost their mother and they receive $6,000. What is wrong with this world?

[EmpireGeorge______--]

So what would be doing her job "correctly" in your mind ? slapping the children hard across the face, for disrespecting her, for cursing ? is that your idea of doing her job ?

[ballwyllo]

What the blank are talking about? Quick check, your jealousy is showing.