A recent incident involving an elderly delivery driver in Texas has gained attention due to the underlying circumstances of his continued work. Donald Johnson, 81, continues to deliver lost luggage as an independent contractor, a job he has been doing for three years.
Erin Howell, a resident of The Colony, Texas, witnessed Johnson struggling with a heavy bag on a flight of stairs, an event captured by her doorbell camera. Upon helping him, she learned that he was working to cover medical expenses for his wife, Josephine Johnson, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
Josephine and Donald have been married for 57 years. Despite her medical needs, Donald found himself unable to secure other employment, explaining to Howell that delivering luggage was the only job available to him.
Moved by his story, Howell shared their situation online and initiated a fundraiser to aid in covering medical costs and allow Johnson to retire. Her efforts saw a massive response, with many people donating and offering messages of support.
Donald expressed his gratitude, telling FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth that the support meant he might soon be able to stop working. Josephine noted that the encouragement from strangers had uplifted her spirit as she continued her battle with cancer.
However, the family’s situation changed when the fundraiser was pulled from GoFundMe. In a TikTok video, the couple’s daughter, Amy Johnson, announced that while over $700,000 had been raised, the funds would not reach the family due to a ‘technicality’ leading to refunds.
GoFundMe stated that their trust and safety team found the campaign in violation of their terms of service, although specific details were not provided. The company’s guidelines emphasize ‘authenticity and transparency for donors’. Attempts to get further comments from Amy Johnson and GoFundMe are ongoing.