TikTok user Jenelle Marie has created a GoFundMe campaign for “her elderly friend Donald,” who she says is a 90-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran and whose wife suffers from dementia.
A New Hampshire woman has launched a GoFundMe campaign for a man she says is a 90-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran who is pawning jewelry to raise money to care for his wife, who suffers from dementia.
The page, created by TikTok user Jenelle Marie, has raised over $150,000 for her “older friend named Donald.” She filmed Donald trying to pawn jewelry before surprising him with an envelope full of $1,300. The heartbreaking video has over 4.6 million views on TikTok.
Donald takes care of his wife “around the clock” because the couple has no children and no immediate family is left, Marie wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“He is the nicest old man you could imagine and loves his wife very much,” she said.
In the video, after Marie gives him the money, Donald says, “If I can afford it, I’ll call you one day and take you to lunch.”
“I appreciate it, but we just enjoy doing it,” Marie replies. “(The money) comes from me, my fiancé and about 25 other people.”
Before Donald leaves, he can be heard saying in the video: “I’m so excited… this is fabulous.”
How did Donald get into financial difficulties?
Donald’s financial problems began when his landlord raised the rent and he “fell terribly behind on paying all his bills,” Marie said.
“He is scared to death that he will be evicted and that his wife will have to go into a home,” Marie wrote on the GoFundMe page. “I am trying to find him a new rental that fits his budget, but I hope I can raise some money to help ease his financial stress.”
The goal of the donations is to help Donald pay for a one-bedroom apartment or a first-floor house they could rent in the Manchester, New Hampshire, area, Marie says.
“I have looked into all possible offers of help, even social housing for him, but the waiting lists are too long,” she said.
“I wish we could do more for veterans”
Marie posted an update to the GoFundMe page on Wednesday, detailing how the virality of Donald’s video and the outpouring of support led her to keep the fundraiser running longer. The fundraising goal is $200,000.
“I’ll give him more money next time he comes by,” Marie said. “Thank you to everyone who donated or shared this fundraiser. I wish we could do more for the veterans in this country who risk their lives for each and every one of us.”
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the following happened on a single night in January 2023:
- 35,574 veterans were homeless.
- 20,076 veterans received housing, while 15,507 veterans were unhoused.
- Most veterans (98%) are homeless as individuals. Of these individuals, 30% were chronically homeless.
- 87.8% (31,231 veterans) were men, while 11.2% (3,980 veterans) were women.
Some progress has been made, with the number of homeless veterans falling by nearly 5% since the beginning of 2020 and more than 52% since 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
