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- 81-year-old Don Johnson worked 14-hour shifts for wife's medical bills.
- Strangers raised nearly $250,000 through a GoFundMe campaign.
- Funds allow him to stop working and cover ongoing medical care.
Thousands of strangers across the United States have come together and raised nearly $250,000 (around Rs 2.1 crore) for Don Johnson, an 81-year-old delivery driver from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
According to a report by the New York Post, Johnson took the job and worked 14-hour shifts, often late at night, to cover medical bills for his wife, who is battling an aggressive form of cancer.
Customer Shares Heartbreaking Encounter
The wave of support began after home security footage was posted online showing him struggling to carry heavy bags up a steep set of stairs.
The home security footage was captured while Johnson was returning lost flight luggage to a customer named Erin Howell, who eventually shared his story.
Writing on the GoFundMe, Howell recalled, "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. 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, gruelling physical labour. The reality is that he isn't working by choice; he is working for survival."
Workplace Rejections Left Delivery Driving As His Only Choice
When Howell spoke with Johnson after the delivery, he revealed that delivery driving was "the only job that will hire me".
Speaking to NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth, Johnson said, "With the increase in groceries and expenses and everything, we were just getting by."
He added that he had tried applying for other roles, saying: "I tried Amazon and Walmart and other places. It was either not the right moment, or they just passed on me."
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Nearly $250,000 Raised Online
After his story was shared online and the GoFundMe campaign was launched, thousands of people contributed, raising nearly $250,000. Johnson said that the funds will go directly toward paying off accumulated medical bills and funding his wife's ongoing medical care, allowing him to finally step away from the gruelling work hours.
Speaking to KDFW, Johnson expressed his gratitude, stating: "I think I'm going to be able to stop working, and that's amazing. So we're not quite totally over the hump yet, but we're getting there very quickly."
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