An 81-year-old Texas delivery driver who was still working long hours to help pay for his wife’s cancer treatment may finally have a chance to retire after a stranger’s doorbell camera captured his difficult workday and inspired a massive fundraising effort.
Don Johnson, 81, works as an independent contractor delivering lost and delayed airline luggage to customers’ homes in the Dallas Fort Worth area. His work recently brought him to the home of Erin Howell, who had lost luggage during a flight.
Howell’s Ring camera captured Johnson carrying two heavy suitcases up a steep flight of stairs. She noticed how difficult the delivery appeared to be for the elderly driver and went outside to offer him help.
What Howell learned next turned the brief delivery into something much bigger.
Johnson told her that he was working because his wife of 57 years, Josephine, is battling an aggressive form of cancer. The couple had moved in with their daughter as Josephine underwent treatment, but medical expenses, prescription costs and everyday bills continued to put financial pressure on the family.
Johnson explained that he had tried to find other work but had been unsuccessful.
“It’s the only job that will hire me,” Johnson told Howell, according to her GoFundMe account.
Working 14-Hour Days
Johnson had been delivering luggage for about three years and was taking on additional hours to keep up with the family’s expenses. He told reporters that he sometimes worked 14-hour days and could drive hundreds of miles during a shift.
His vehicle had accumulated more than 200,000 miles, contributing to mechanical problems that made the demanding job even more difficult.
Johnson said rising grocery and household costs had added to the financial strain.
“With the increase in groceries and expenses and everything, we were just getting by,” he said.
He also said he had attempted to find employment with companies including Amazon and Walmart, but those efforts did not result in a job.
For Johnson, continuing to work was not simply about having extra spending money. He was trying to help his wife receive the treatment and medications she needed.
“I appreciate what we do get from insurance, but it doesn’t cover it all. And cancer treatment is very expensive,” Johnson said.
Stranger Starts GoFundMe
After meeting Johnson, Howell decided she wanted to do something to help. She created a GoFundMe campaign called “Help Don Retire” and shared his story online.
The fundraiser was launched September 2 with a $300,000 goal. By September 24, it had collected more than $244,000 from thousands of donors, according to reporting on the campaign.
The fundraising effort has since continued to grow, with people donating money to help the couple deal with medical expenses and allow Johnson to spend more time with his wife instead of spending long days on the road.
Howell wrote that Johnson should not have to carry the financial and physical burden alone.
The response has left Johnson stunned.
“It Restores My Faith In People”
Johnson said he never expected a stranger he had met during a luggage delivery to launch a fundraiser on his behalf.
“I’m still stunned that people responded. I wasn’t expecting any response,” Josephine said in an interview about the support.
Johnson said the experience has changed how he views the kindness of strangers.
“It restores my faith in people,” he said. “For her to do that was a miracle. We didn’t ask for it, but it helps so much.”
He also said he hopes the financial support will eventually allow him to stop working.
“I think I’m going to be able to stop working, and that’s amazing,” Johnson said. “So we’re not quite totally over the hump yet, but we’re getting there very quickly.”
A Chance To Be With His Wife
For Josephine, the donations have provided more than financial relief. She said the messages and support from strangers have given her additional strength as she continues facing cancer.
“I can face it. I think that’s the big difference,” she said. “Some have made comments and they’re praying for us. And it’s just, it’s a joyful feeling.”
The couple has been married for 57 years, and Josephine said the situation has shown the meaning of standing by someone through difficult circumstances.
Johnson, meanwhile, remains focused on his wife.
“I love her dearly, and I want her to be well,” he said.
What began as a Ring camera recording of an elderly man carrying two heavy suitcases up a staircase has now turned into a community effort that could give Johnson something he has been unable to afford for years: the opportunity to step away from physically demanding work and spend more time caring for the woman he has spent nearly six decades with.
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