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Don Johnson, an 81-year-old delivery driver in Texas, gained public attention when a woman filmed him struggling to carry luggage up stairs for her. Johnson works long hours delivering lost luggage to pay medical bills after his wife was diagnosed with cancer. A GoFundMe campaign set up by Erin Howell has raised over $244,000 towards their $300,000 goal since September 2.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Donald Johnson, an 81-year-old Texas man from The Colony near Dallas, gained national attention after being seen by Erin Howell on her doorbell camera struggling to carry heavy luggage up stairs while working as an independent contractor for lost luggage delivery. He started the job three years ago when his wife, Josephine, was diagnosed with cancer to help cover medical bills.
The footage went viral and sparked a GoFundMe campaign that initially raised over $281,000 to ease Johnson’s financial burden. However, GoFundMe shut down the fundraiser after discovering that Howell was actually Johnson's daughter, Amy, who misrepresented herself as a neighbor to raise funds more effectively.
GoFundMe stated they identified "factual misrepresentations," leading them to deactivate the page and refund all donations to ensure their platform remains trustworthy. Despite the shutdown, Amy maintained the authenticity of her parents' story but admitted using a pseudonym to connect better with potential donors.
Written for “Texas Delivery Driver GoFundMe Contro…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.
An elderly Texas man has gone viral after he was filmed struggling to carry heavy bags up a flight of stairs as part of his job to pay the medical bills while his wife battles cancer — before kind strangers helped raise nearly $250K.
Don Johnson was seen returning luggage Erin Howell lost from a recent flight, catching the Dallas-Fort Worth area resident by surprise when she noticed the 81-year-old delivery man, according to heartbreaking home security footage.
uncertain
she → go → footage
“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.
asserted
that → catch → stairs
He looked absolutely exhausted, and his steps were heavy with effort,” Howell wrote on GoFundMe.
asserted
Howell → look → GoFundMe
“It completely broke my heart to see a man of his age doing such intense, grueling physical labor.
asserted
man → break → labor
“The reality is that he isn’t working by choice; he is working for survival,” Howell added.
asserted
Howell → work → survival
Johnson has been working as an independent contractor delivering the luggage to rightful owners’ homes for three years after his wife, Josephine, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
asserted
wife → work → cancer
The couple, who have been married for 57 years, moved in with their daughter, which helped somewhat in the severe battle with the disease.
asserted
which → move → disease
However, Johnson soon became overwhelmed with rising medical bills and prescription costs and decided he needed to pick up work to make “ends meet.
asserted
ends → become → work
”
“It’s the only job that will hire me,” Johnson told Howell.
asserted
Johnson → ’ → Howell
“With the increase in groceries and expenses and everything, we were just getting by,” Johnson told NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
asserted
Johnson → get → groceries
“I tried Amazon and Walmart and other places.
asserted
I → try → Amazon
It was either not the right moment, or they just passed on me.”
Johnson has regularly worked 14-hour days for extra cash — even at his advanced age.
asserted
Johnson → pass → age
The demanding job forced Johnson to drive hundreds of miles a day, totaling over 200,000 miles on his car, leading to major mechanical issues on his vehicle.
asserted
job → force → vehicle
“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.
asserted
Howell → rest → her
The thoughtful customer turned community leader set up the fundraiser for Johnson after watching the heartbreaking video back.
asserted
customer → turn → video
“He shouldn’t have to carry this crushing financial and physical weight all by himself anymore,” she said.
asserted
she → have → himself
“Every single dollar raised from this campaign will go directly to helping them survive this crisis.”
asserted
them → raise → crisis
The crowdfunding campaign has raised over $244,000 of the $300,000 goal since it was launched on Sept. 2.
asserted
it → raise → Sept.
Johnson was grateful for Howell’s thoughtful gesture and plans to make good use of the financial help.
asserted
Johnson → make → help
“I think I’m going to be able to stop working, and that’s amazing,” he told KDFW.
asserted
he → think → KDFW
“So we’re not quite totally over the hump yet, but we’re getting there very quickly.
asserted
we → ’re → hump
Josephine has seen hope in her battle following the donations and messages sent to her.
asserted
Josephine → see → her
“I can face it.
asserted
I → face → it
I think that’s the big difference,” Josephine said.
asserted
Josephine → think → ?
“Some have made comments and they’re praying for us.
asserted
they → make → us
And it’s just, it’s a joyful feeling.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
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