After an 81-year-old delivery driver was spotted delivering lost luggage on a doorbell camera, a Texas woman started a fundraiser to support him, raising more than US$370,000 in donations.
The woman, named Erin Howell, started a GoFundMe page for Don Johnson, who ” has been working around the clock delivering luggage to make ends meet.”
Johnson is an independent contractor who delivers lost or delayed luggage to homes from the airport.
“The other day, my door cam caught an 81-year-old man slowly and painstakingly carrying my heavy luggage that had been lost on a recent flight up a steep flight of stairs,” Howell wrote in the GoFundMe description.
“He looked absolutely exhausted, and his steps were heavy with effort. It completely broke my heart to see a man of his age doing such intense, grueling physical labor, so I opened my door to meet him and to offer my help. That is when I learned the devastating truth about his situation,” she added.
Johnson told Howell that he has put over “200,000 grueling miles on his car which has caused it to no longer run at times.”
When she asked him why he continues to work the physically demanding job at the age of 81, he told her, “it’s the only job that will hire me.”
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She said that Johnson isn’t working by choice but “working for survival.”
“His beautiful wife of 57 years, Josephine, is currently fighting a severe battle against cancer. The staggering medical bills, continuous treatments, expensive prescription medications, and everyday costs of living have completely overwhelmed them,” the fundraiser description added.
“At an age when he should be resting and spending every precious single moment by his wife’s side, he is out on the road lifting heavy bags just to keep her alive and cared for.”
Howell said that every dollar raised from the GoFundMe goes directly “to helping them survive.”
“Your donations will pay off their mounting cancer treatments, cover their daily living expenses, and finally allow him to stop working so he can safely stay home to take care of his wife,” the description said.
Johnson told NBC News Dallas-Forth Worth that he sometimes works 14-hour days because of the “increase in groceries and expenses and everything.”
“I appreciate what we do get from insurance, but it doesn’t cover it all. And cancer treatment is very expensive,” Johnson added.
After the GoFundMe gained traction, Johnson told the outlet that the generosity “restores my faith in people.”
“For her to do that was a miracle. We didn’t ask for it, but it helps so much,” he said of Howell, adding, “I look forward to the day that I can help people just like I’m being helped now.”
The GoFundMe post had raised more than $371,200 of its $400,000 goal from more than 6,500 donations as of Thursday afternoon.
This isn’t the first time that a community has come together to help a delivery driver retire.
In March, a Tennessee woman started a fundraiser to support a 78-year-old DoorDash driver, raising more than $970,000 in donations.
In the video shared by Smith, Pulley is captured on doorbell video delivering the order to her doorstep, slowly walking up the pathway towards her home, before hesitating for a brief moment in front of the steps that lead to her front porch. He carefully walks up the stairs and gingerly bends down to drop off Smith’s order.
Smith decided to start a fundraiser for Pulley after she was able to “track down Richard and learned he does DoorDash due to his wife being fired from her job (at no fault of her own) and by the time they pay their monthly expenses plus purchase their medication, there is nothing left,” according to the GoFundMe page.
By May, Smith said that Pulley was gifted a large check for $965,868 following all the generous donations. She said he was now able to “retire and live comfortable for the remainder of his life.”
“Humanity is not a thing of the past,” Smith added in the update.
The couple isn’t going to see a dime of the money because the Go Fund Me organization canceled it. It would be justified if it was a scam from all the people involved with the account but that was not stated as the case for removing the account and refunding the money to people. Proof should be provided giving a list of names and addresses to authorities by Go Fund Me that every piece of currency was given back to the people who donated to make sure everybody gets their money back. Curious to know if Go Fund Me organization is ever investigated on their operations? It is stated they charge a % to the people that is collected, so are they going to take that percentage out before refunding the the rest?
The Go Fund Me was taken down by the organization. It would be justified if it was a scam from all the people involved with the account but that was not stated as the case for removing the account and refunding the money to people. Proof should be provided giving a list of names and addresses to authorities by Go Fund Me that every piece of currency was given back to the people who donated to make sure everybody gets their money back. Curious to know if Go Fund Me organization is ever investigated on their operations? It is stated they charge a % to the people that is collected, so are they going to take that percentage out before refunding the the rest?
Who proofreafs these? Good lord. First sentence.
That is the biggest issue with the USA! Work all your life in the supposedly the greatest country, but does NOT have Universal Health Care to look after their citizens. They end up loosing everything including the roof over their heads in their old age.
If every working person contributes a few dollars from their pay could give people the protection they need when they need it! The USA is one of the only few nations that do not have Universal Health Care!! It is time that changed.
THIS KIND OF THING IS BEING PROCESSED AT THIS VERY MOMENT, IN ALBERTA. DANILLE SMITH AND THE UCP GOVERNMENT LEADINGTHE WAY
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Excellent Hope it eases the burden.
Americans would rather donate to gofundmes than pay the taxes necessary for a free healthcare system
And this is everything that is wrong with America.
This is so sad. I guess Doug Ford and Danielle Smith want that in Canada. We need to protect our health care system!
Hey Global, are you serious, I am typing too fast? That is funny because I have crippled hands, and I only use 1 finger on each hand, so I bet you guys are faster than me, but whatever, I’ll wait 2 minutes before I send this.
I just want to know if this is the actor?
So sad that the once great America has this problem. Most other countries have universal healthcare and try to look after their citizens. The USA would rather spend ridiculous amounts of foreign wars which, in most cases, just result in more wars, ad nauseam!!
I’m thinking RCMP officer’s convicted of violating the secrets act should probably get more than 3 years.
Of course, soft on treason liberals don’t.
In Canada and most other countries, this wouldn’t be an issue! When will the US start treating health care as a human right and not a privilege?
This is why Canada needs to protect our Universal Healthcare.
@Thomas. Your infant mortality is higher, your life expectancy is lower. Your average Healthcare outcomes are worse. You score much lower on world democracy and freedom indices. Just concentrate on those problems and losing the war in Iran.
It is unimaginable that a country as rich (supposedly) as the US has to resort to Go Fund Me for pay health care.
@ Thomas – The average life expectancy in Canada is over 3 years longer than in the US. This is due to some people delaying care in the US due to costs and dying young because conditions were too far along to treat.
Your uninformed, amateur opinion of how his wife would have fared here is not worth the time it took to read it.
Before you smug Canadians get too full of yourself, under our healthcare system, his wife would already be long dead due to endless delays and medical incompetence. The only reason why she’s alive today is because paid access to premium service exists.
So? Where are Canadian stories about our free and great medical care where people can’t find a family doctor to have all necessary procedures done in timely matter.. if at all. Where people dying waiting 12-16 hrs in emergency rooms?
And it could be solved very easily… just open few 24hr/7/365 walk-in clinics in each and every city and let emergency rooms deal with real emergencies.
What no heart warming stories in Canada global? Or is it because all that’s left is misery and taxes?
Thanks carney and progressives, Canada is doing real great because of your “great” work
America, the richest sh*thole in the world, where 81 year olds have to back breaking work to pay bills
I don’t understand. Doesn’t Medicare cover this in the US.
@ Ali – sure you have. I believe you. Many other wouldn’t, but I do.
Don’s issue here is that he does not have insurance. Try to stay on topic. I am sure that you can guess what I think you are – it’s not an indentured servant.
Your parade is in the US or maybe Montenegro or Moscow. You are free to leave. Yesterday would have been great. Immediately is the next best time.
God bless Don and wonderful people that help him.
I’ve literally paid millions in taxes to pay for someone elses healthcare. It would be cheaper to have purchased high end insurance, plus i’d get more timely care. Where’s my parade, Anonymous? Or am i nothing an indentured servant to you and your ilk? Pair a sites, the lot of you. You didn’t contribute to his fund, did you pair a sites? No, you’re driven by self centred greed. Remember that when you accuse me of it.
I see all of the gay liberals are hiding here as your idiot Prime Minister continues to lie.
Oh those evil Yankees
USA USA USA
See this is white privilege. The privilege Don takes in his love for his wire that he literally works himself almost to death to provide for her. Not relying on government handouts and laying about doing nothing about his situation. Rest easy Don. Now it is our privilege to be able to help you in your hour of actual need.
Where are all the U-S-A! U-S-A! chanters for this story?