A New Hampshire woman raised more than $200,000 for a 90-year-old veteran who was pawning jewelry to care for his wife who is suffering from dementia.
Jenelle Marie filmed Donald, a disabled Air Force veteran, attempting to pawn jewelry at US Gold and Pawn in Manchester to pay off the debt he racked up while trying to care for his ailing wife, who was recently diagnosed with dementia.
Marie started a GoFundMe after learning that Donald’s landlord had raised his rent and that he was “terribly behind on all his bills” and feared he would lose his home.
“He is very afraid of being evicted and his wife being sent to a nursing home,” he wrote.
Earlier this week, she surprised him with an envelope containing $1,300 she had raised at the fundraiser before it went viral.
“I could kiss you,” Donald says as he opens the envelope in a video Posted on TikTok. Her eyes fill with tears as she realizes what’s inside the package and begins to tell it. “Oh my god.”
Jenelle Marie (right) raised over $200,000 for Air Force veteran Donald (center). Donald, who turns 91 later this month, was falling behind on his bills after his landlord raised his rent and he was trying to care for his sick wife.
When told the amount, her face softens and she insists that she “can’t do that.”
“Listen, I can’t let you do this for me,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “I could never thank you.”
As Donald stands speechless, Marie tells him, “I know you’re struggling, I know you’re trying to take care of your wife. I appreciate your service.”
With the generous offer, which Marie, her fiancé and about 25 others contributed to, Donald was left with only $80 of debt to pay and was able to keep his jewelry.
“You’re an angel in disguise, you really are,” he tells Marie. “I don’t know what to say, I really don’t know what to say.”
He then tells Marie that he told a man named Hector that “the lady at the store is a really wonderful, wonderful person.”
“This is the best birthday present anyone has ever received!” she exclaims. Donald will turn 91 on August 25.
In one video, Marie handed over $1,300 that GoFundMe had originally raised before ballooning into the hundreds of thousands. “You are an angel in disguise, you really are,” she tells Marie.
The Air Force veteran, who has no children, insisted he would take Marie out to lunch when he could afford it, but she politely declined, insisting that she and the other donors simply wanted to help.
“If I could just get out from under this big rock I’m carrying, I could start taking better care of my wife,” he told Marie. “Right now, there are things I should be doing that I can’t afford to do. It really bothers me. I feel really bad about it.”
“You’re doing a great job,” Marie assures her.
“I’m trying,” he replies.
Marie is also helping Donald look for a new, more affordable home for him and his wife, and has even looked into Section 8 housing for them, she said. USA today.
“I’ve looked into all kinds of resources, including Section 8 housing for him, and the waiting lists are too long,” she said.
“I am deeply grateful for everything you have done for me,” he said. “Thank you so much. God bless you.”
In a follow-up video, Donald, alongside Marie and her fiancé, holds up a giant check for $250,000, all of which was raised through GoFundMe.
“I am deeply grateful for everything you have done for me,” he said. “Thank you so much. God bless you.”
Since then, the fundraiser has reached more than $285,000 with 11,600 donations as of Saturday morning.
“When I told him the amount, we both went into hysterics. It was a really beautiful and emotional moment, something I will never forget.”