Retired 80-yr-old had to resume janitor job to afford rent hike, so 3 students raised over $270,000 to 'change his life'
Not everyone is fortunate enough to relax, let go of their worries and enjoy retirement at old age. Some people do not have an option other than returning to their stressful jobs to afford bills. James Gailey, an 80-year-old janitor at Callisburg High School in Texas, was forced out of retirement when his rent was hiked, per KCTV5. However, three students from the high school noticed how difficult it was for Gailey to work in his old age. So, the trio decided to raise enough funds for the elderly gentleman and started a GoFundMe page.
“It was just so sad seeing an 80-year-old man having to do things an 80-year-old shouldn’t have to do,” Banner Tidwell, a student at the school, told the news station. Another student named Greyson Thurman set up the fundraiser page that ended up amassing over $270,000 for Gailey. “I have 2,000 followers and I guess that was enough to get the word out,” Thurman told KCTV5 after he also shared a video about the old janitor on his TikTok page which he later deleted.
In the first 12 hours of creating the fundraiser, it received $10,000 in donations that were mostly from students. “It’s just amazing. The need was met because of three kind kids," Principal Jason Hooper mentioned to the news outlet. “But all of our students have pitched in to help." Later on, over 8,000 donors pooled in money for Gailey. “It’s crazy to see. We knew people would want to help but we didn’t know it would blow up,” student Marti Yousko added. “When I saw the money come in, that really gave me faith in today’s world," Thurman continued and thanked everyone who donated for Gailey.
"Thanks so much to everyone who has donated and spread the word to help Mr. James. You all have made a huge impact on him that will forever change his life," Thurman added in an update on the GoFundMe page. The news about the students and Gailey was also covered by TODAY on YouTube. In a similar story, an 82-year-old Walmart employee couldn't retire either because he was struggling to pay his bills. But he got a glimpse of kindness from a stranger whose donation changed his life ahead. 82-year-old Butch Marion, a former Navy veteran, had been working since he was 11. In his 80s, he had no other option but to continue working at a Walmart in Maryland.
@bug_boys 82yr old Butch still putting in work. Has anybody seen the videos where a guy raised 180g's to help an 82 yr old walmart employee retire. We ought to do that for Butch. Who would donate? #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #walmart #gofundme ♬ original sound - BugBoys
A generous stranger named Rory McCarty, who goes by @bug_boys on TikTok, uploaded a video on his page, capturing Marion when he was on duty. McCarty had gone to a local Walmart where he first met Marion, a month before officially helping him retire. By December 2023, more than $115,000 was donated to help Marion retire from his tiring job. When McCarty went back to inform Marion about the kindness and monetary support he had received from strangers, the veteran couldn't believe it. "This is real? How did I get so lucky?" Marion wondered. Marion expressed his plans to use the money for some repair work at home and enjoy the rest of it in his retirement life.