A neighbor says it’s painful to see an 80-year-old man in Arizona working five days a week as a Lyft driver in order to keep up with medical costs and everyday bills.
After retiring from the Marines, Richard Hoppin decided that staying home wasn’t the kind of retirement he wanted. Instead, he looked for a way to stay active and feel useful.
“If you want to die, just sit at home. I thought I’d do something very constructive and help people,” he said, as per 12 News.
That mindset led the 1940s-born Arizona resident to start driving for Lyft, one of the largest rideshare services in the US.
“They need a ride, so I give them a ride,” Hoppin, who has multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease, explained to NBC affiliate KYMA-DT.
Using the only car he and his wife, Catherine, have, he typically drives five days a week and picks up around six to eight riders per day.
“Some rides are real long, some are real short. I’ve been to California, I’ve been to Phoenix, I’ve been to Flagstaff, and Tucson,” he continued.
Catherine, who recently completed three rounds of radiation treatment for lung cancer, said the few hundred dollars her husband brings in from driving makes a real difference to their finances.
She added that without that extra income, they may not have been able to keep a roof over their heads.
Although Catherine has health insurance that covers her $50,000 radiation sessions, she still has to pay part of the cost herself, according to the report.
Those out-of-pocket expenses are a key reason Hoppin continues driving later in life.
In response, neighbors have launched a GoFundMe to support Hoppin and his wife.
“It breaks my heart to see him just trying to get through the day,” the GoFundMe, started by Arizona resident Michael Long, reads.
“Their health is declining, and the cost of medical care, food, and utilities is overwhelming.
“With no family left to support them, they are relying on the kindness of neighbors and the community.
“I want to help them cover their medical bills and everyday living expenses so they can focus on their health and well-being, rather than worrying about how to make ends meet.”
Long also said that giving help can be a “gift,” adding that any contribution would “mean the world to Richard and Catherine.”
“[It] will help them feel less alone during this difficult time,” he wrote.
Speaking to 12 News, Long said he wasn’t certain of the full details of the couple’s finances, but hoped the “goodness of people [would] come forward and donate something.”
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe has raised $30,719 of its $35,000 goal. You can donate here.