It started, as so many things do, with a TikTok video.
Anabelle Grace Stephens, 21, posted a clip from her door camera of an elderly DoorDash delivery driver climbing carefully and slowly up her steps.
‘Tell me I didn’t just get the cutest DoorDasher,’ a caption over the video read.
That clip went viral, with 10million views so far and a comments section full of people sharing their sympathy for the 71-year-old, wishing there was somewhere they could donate money to him, and lamenting the fact that he still has to work a gig economy job at his age.
One comment reads: ‘This is sad. We have to do better for our elderly’, while another person said: ‘I pray he’s doing this bc he’s retired and wants to stay busy’ [sp].
Over the next week, Anabelle successfully reached out to the man, called Kerry Judd, and set up a GoFundMe for him, which has gone on to raise $62,810 (approximately £46,500) in a bid to pay for his retirement.
Hype Kerry up 🥺 #doordash
This money has been raised in just four days, which makes the life-changing target number of $100,000 (approx £74,033) seem very feasible.
Kerry has since shared via the GoFundMe page that he’s a widower and security guard who’s been dealing with some health problems.
With two sons to care for, he has been working for DoorDash to ‘make ends meet’.
‘It isn’t easy with DoorDash basic pay of $2.50 per delivery,’ he writes on the site.
‘DoorDash fees are expensive, so people don’t always tip because times are tough and there are times they are not able to go out, so they order DoorDash.’
I can’t begin to describe the amount of support from across the world! This is beyond words and beyond what I could ever imagine! This is life changing for Kerry and that is ALL from you guys!!! #kerry #idaho #gofundme
Anabelle, from Idaho, US, has been keeping her followers updated with her and Kerry’s new friendship, with her latest video sharing that the two have met up for dinner together.
In the comments, she wrote: ‘Kerry is the sweetest man I have ever met and he made my night by giving me gifts’.
It’s not all been sunshine and daisies however, as some commented at first sharing their doubts about her intentions.
In response to one person who wrote: ‘She probably only tipped $2’, Anabelle shared a screenshot of her receipt showing a tip of $30 (approx £22), which was over 100% the price of her order.
Four days ago, she commented on the first clip in the saga saying: ‘I gave Kerry full rights to the gofundme money’.
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