Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas — An 81-year-old delivery driver who has been working grueling 14-hour days to help cover his wife’s cancer treatment costs is getting a remarkable show of support from strangers, after a customer captured video of him slowly carrying heavy luggage up a steep flight of stairs.
Don Johnson had been delivering lost luggage to customers across the Dallas-Fort Worth area when Erin Howell received her belongings following a recent flight. When Howell checked her home security footage, she saw Johnson struggling to carry the heavy bags to her door.
The sight deeply affected her, prompting her to share his story and launch a fundraiser to help Johnson and his wife, Josephine.
Doorbell Video Reveals the Struggle Behind the Job
Howell said Johnson appeared exhausted as he painstakingly carried the luggage up the stairs, despite being 81 years old.
“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,” Howell wrote on GoFundMe. “It completely broke my heart to see a man of his age doing such intense, grueling physical labor.
“The reality is that he isn’t working by choice; he is working for survival,” Howell added.
The video left Howell wanting to know why someone Johnson’s age was still doing such physically demanding work. She soon learned that his job was connected to a much larger financial struggle.
Johnson Started Working After His Wife’s Cancer Diagnosis
Johnson has worked as an independent contractor delivering luggage for about three years, beginning after his wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
The couple has been married for 57 years and eventually moved in with their daughter, which provided some additional support as Josephine battled the disease.
But the growing cost of medical treatment, prescriptions, groceries and everyday expenses eventually became overwhelming. Johnson decided he needed to find work to help the family stay financially afloat.
“It’s the only job that will hire me,” Johnson told Howell.
He also told NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth that he had attempted to find work with several other companies but was repeatedly unsuccessful.
“With the increase in groceries and expenses and everything, we were just getting by,” Johnson told NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth. “I tried Amazon and Walmart and other places. It was either not the right moment, or they just passed on me.”
14-Hour Workdays Took a Physical Toll
Despite his age, Johnson regularly worked 14-hour days in an effort to earn enough money to support his wife.
The job also required him to drive hundreds of miles at a time. Over the years, his vehicle accumulated more than 200,000 miles, eventually developing serious mechanical problems.
Howell said the situation was especially difficult to see because Johnson was spending his later years doing exhausting physical work instead of being able to focus on his wife.
“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.
After watching the doorbell footage again, Howell decided Johnson and Josephine needed help beyond what a single person could provide.
Strangers Raise Nearly $250,000
Howell launched a crowdfunding campaign with the goal of easing the couple’s financial burden.
“He shouldn’t have to carry this crushing financial and physical weight all by himself anymore,” she said. “Every single dollar raised from this campaign will go directly to helping them survive this crisis.”
The response was immediate.
Since the fundraiser was launched on September 2, nearly $250,000 has been raised toward its $300,000 goal, giving the couple significant financial support during an incredibly difficult period.
For Johnson, the generosity could mean something he had not been sure was possible anymore: stepping away from work.
Thieves Steal Delivery Truck Packed With Doughnuts Before Police Recover It in Philadelphia
Johnson Says He May Finally Be Able to Stop Working
Johnson expressed his gratitude for Howell’s decision to share his story and for the people who contributed.
“I think I’m going to be able to stop working, and that’s amazing,” he told. “So we’re not quite totally over the hump yet, but we’re getting there very quickly.”
For Josephine, the support has provided more than financial relief. The messages, prayers and donations from strangers have given her renewed hope as she continues fighting cancer.
“I can face it. I think that’s the big difference,” Josephine said. “Some have made comments and they’re praying for us. And it’s just, it’s a joyful feeling.”
What do you think about the kindness shown to Don and Josephine? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know what this story means to you.
