80-year-old had to work as a grocery bagger to pay off his late wife’s medical bills — but community had some other plans for him

There is a lot to deal with when a loved one passes away after treatment or due to a chronic illness. While trying to accept the loss and manage grief, medical bills add even more stress and burdens. An 80-year-old man named Gary Saling was working as a grocery bagger at Smith’s Market in St. George to pay the dues of his late wife, Carol’s medical bills, per WLBT 3. The man never expected to return to the job after having worked as a bagger in high school. Unfortunately, he had bills to pay even after his wife was gone. When people learned of his story, they decided to come together and turn the path of his life around. 

Carol didn’t seem to be on the cards initially for Saling. He was one of Architecture Digest’s top 100 architects, responsible for several royal projects, per KSBY. He was also married to his first wife, who left him and his two sons in the 1980s. Saling came across Carol at a stoplight in 1991, and they had an adorable story. “We fell in love with each other on the bench because we ended up sitting there for three hours,” Saling recalled. Things were great for a few years until, in 2017, Carol was diagnosed with sundowning syndrome, a form of dementia. They moved and began her treatment. 

According to the National Council on Aging, older Americans are carrying over 54 billion worth of unpaid medical debts. Medicare expert Brandy Bauer, former Director of the MIPPA Resource Center, noted that older people have the option to get aid for medical debts via federal and state programs based on a qualification process. “Neurology was covered by Medicare. What wasn’t covered was the promise that I kept that I would keep her at home,” Saling poignantly said. Despite his best attempts, Saling lost his wife in 2021. He was left with love, grief and a whopping $80,000 medical debt. 

“There is no way I’m a hero. I am not an angel, and I’m certainly not a saint … I made the promise to keep her at home and never put her in a nursing home because I took vows,” Saling said. When shoppers learned of his story and how he eventually became a grocery bagger to pay off the bills, they were moved. Duana Johnson said, “I saw Gary bagging groceries and I thought, ‘What’s this guy, why is this elderly man still here?’” When she learned of his story, she decided to help by starting a fundraiser and she soon realized she was not alone. “People have been messaging saying that they see him all the time and they really love him, he’s always nice, he’s always kind, he’s always like, you know, greeting them and smiling,” Johnson said. She hopes that Saling can have enough to waive off his debt and retire comfortably.

So far, over $2,000 has been raised, and Johnson hopes there will be more support from people.

The fundraiser was organized as the Gary Saling Donation Account at the State Bank of Southern Utah, to which people can donate.
There’s also a Venmo account- @HelpGaryRetire. The verification code is 2956.