A DoorDash driver has expressed his thanks after a customer-organized fundraiser brought in more than half a million dollars to support him and his wife.
Brittany Smith, who lives in Manchester, Tennessee, uploaded Ring doorbell footage showing Richard, an older DoorDash driver, bringing her delivery to the door.
“I see this man walking up my front porch and he almost falls… and then he almost, like, stumbles going down… and I was like, this is so sad,” Smith said, via WSMV.
“My very first job ever was a CNA in a long-term care facility. So, like, I just have a special place in my heart for old people and veterans,” Smith shared. “That’s just, those are my people.”
After posting the clip online in an effort to identify him, Smith was able to track Richard down and went to his home to give him a $200 tip. During that visit, she learned more about what Richard and his wife, Brenda, had been dealing with financially.
“He proceeded to tell me that his wife had lost her job at no fault of her own,” Smith shared. “By the time that they pay necessities and medications, there’s nothing left.”
Motivated to help further, Smith set up a fundraiser in Richard’s name. As of now, it has collected $507,907, with additional donations continuing to come in.
“I told my daughter yesterday,” Smith recalled. “I was like, I don’t know what it is about this man, but God’s telling me that we have to go do this.”
Richard and Brenda, married for more than 56 years, said they were overwhelmed by the response from people they’ve never met. The money is expected to ease the pressure they’ve faced while trying to cover day-to-day costs and medical needs as they approach retirement.
“It’s just really difficult to believe that there’s that many people that are that generous to try to help us … People that don’t even know us,”
“We appreciate every one of them … it’s taking a lot of pressure off of us … and making life livable once again,” they added.
Brenda also described how quickly costs can stack up, particularly when health expenses are involved. She reportedly faces medical bills totaling thousands of dollars each year.
“Sometimes you just look at all the things that you need to pay … because if it don’t, you’re going to end up in the hospital … with something even more expensive than that,” Brenda said.
This kind of public support for older delivery workers has happened before. In 2020, 89-year-old pizza delivery driver Derlin Newey drew widespread attention after it emerged he was still working 30 hours a week to supplement his income, since his regular bills exceeded what his social security covered.
A customer, Carlos Valdez, began filming Newey’s drop-offs and sharing them on TikTok. Viewers quickly recognized him for his familiar greeting — “Hello, are you looking for some pizza?” — and he soon gained a large following.
“Somebody at that age should not be working that much,” said Newey’s customer Carlos Valdez, via Today.
The Valdez family then launched a crowdsourcing effort that ultimately brought in $12,000 to help Newey.