Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe
Topics: Good News, DoorDash, GoFundMe, Social Media, Community
Niamh Shackleton
Topics: Good News, DoorDash, GoFundMe, Social Media, Community
An elderly DoorDash driver has had thousands of dollars raised for him after a customer took pity on him following her delivery.
On March 10, Richard Pulley delivered a Starbucks order to Brittany Smith's Tennessee home.
Brittany's doorbell camera caught the moment Richard dropped of her items, and it was clear that it was a struggle for the 78-year-old who needed to use the handrail to make it up the steps outside her property.
Seeing the footage, Brittany put out a plea on social media in the hopes of finding Richard. She penned on Facebook: "Help me find this precious man! Why is he having to DoorDash. His name is Richard! Help me find him."
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Speaking to TODAY.com, Brittany said her 'heart sank' when she saw the Ring camera footage.
See it here:
"I open up the (Ring) camera and I see this little old man walking up my steps with a Starbucks bag and... my heart just sank," she shared.
Eventually she managed to track him down and, in an update shared online Brittany revealed that Richard doesn't work because he wants to, but because 'he has to'.
He'd retired from his job as an insurance salesman 15 years ago, but was forced back into work over a year ago because his wife lost her job.
"My wife was working for an insurance company and they ended up letting her go," he told TODAY. Richard added that although they receive Social Security, money was tight without his wife's income.
With their financial situation in mind, Brittany proceeded to set up a GoFundMe page for him and the donations quickly came flooding in.
Within days the fundraiser had received over $500,000 in donations, and yesterday (March 20), Richard has was given a check for more than $965,000 from GoFundMe.
The exact number of the check given to him was $965,868, per a photo update Brittany shared on the fundraiser page.
But more money has since been raised for the elderly DoorDasher and the total currently sits at $966,744 at the time of writing, making up 88 percent of its target. Among the donations is $20,000 from DoorDash.
A DoorDash spokesperson said: "Richard’s dedication to supporting himself and his wife is truly inspiring."
"Like many others, we were moved by his story and the outpouring of support from people across the country," they added.
"It’s also a powerful reminder of how dashing can bring communities together, while helping people earn extra money to make life easier."