Heart-wrenching moment veteran, 90, resorts to pawning jewelry to take care of his dementia-stricken wife - before stunning act of kindness changes his life
A New Hampshire woman has raised more than $200,000 for a 90-year-old veteran who was pawning jewelry in order to care for his dementia-stricken wife.
Jenelle Marie filmed disabled Air Force veteran, Donald, attempting to pawn jewelry off at US Gold and Pawn in Manchester to pay off the debt he'd accrued while trying to care for his sick wife, who was recently diagnosed with dementia.
Marie started a GoFundMe after learning Donald's landlord had raised his rent, causing him to 'fall behind terribly on all of his bills' and fear he'd lose his home.
'He's deathly afraid he's going to be displaced and that they are going to make his wife go to a home,' she said.
Earlier this week, she surprised him with an envelope containing $1,300 that she had collected before her online fundraiser went viral.
'I could kiss you,' Donald says as he opens the envelope in a video posted to TikTok. Tears sprang to his eyes as he realized what was in the package and begins to count it. 'Oh my goodness.'
Jenelle Marie (right) raised more than $200,000 for Air Force Veteran, Donald (middle). Donald, who turns 91 later this month, was falling behind on bills after his landlord raised his rent and he was trying to take care of his sick wife
When he's told the amount, his face softens and he insists she 'can't do that.'
'Listen, I can't let you do this for me,' he tells her, his voice thick with emotion. 'I could never thank you.'
As Donald becomes at a loss for words, Marie tells him: 'I know your struggling, I know you're trying to take care of your wife. I appreciate your [military] service.'
With the generous offer - which Marie, her fiancé, and around 25 other people chipped in for - it left Donald with only $80 of debt left to pay and he 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 said to 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 every had!' he exclaims. Donald will turn 91 on August 25.
The Air Force veteran, who does not have any children, insisted he would take Marie to lunch when he could afford it, but she politely declined, insisting her and the other donors simply wanted to help.
'If I could ever get out from under this big rock that's on top of me, I could actually 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 just feel really badly about it.'
'You're doing a great job,' Marie reassures him.
'I'm trying,' he replies.
Marie is also helping Donald look for a new, more affordable home for him and his wife, and had even looked into Section 8 housing for them, she told USA Today.
'I have looked into all sorts of resources, even Section 8 housing for him, and the waitlists are too long,' she said.
In a video, Marie presented him with $1,300 that GoFundMe originally raised before skyrocketing to hundreds of thousands. 'You're an angel in disguise, you really are,' he tells Marie
'I'm profoundly grateful for everything you've done for me,' he said. 'Thank you so very much. God bless you'
In a follow-up video, Donald - alongside Marie and her fiancé - holds up a giant check worth $250,000 that was collected through a GoFundMe.
'I'm profoundly grateful for everything you've done for me,' he said. 'Thank you so very much. God bless you.'
The fundraiser has since reached more than $285,000 with 11,600 donations as of Saturday morning.
'When I told him the amount, it was just absolute hysterics from both of us. It was a truly beautiful and emotional moment, something that I will never forget.'
