In a time where social media often highlights the trivial. Jenelle Marie, a pawn shop clerk from New Hampshire, made headlines for her incredible act of kindness. After seeing the desperate actions of an Air Force veteran, Marie leveraged her TikTok platform to raise awareness and funds.
Donald, who had served in the Air Force and was now in his 90s, was struggling financially. His wife had recently been diagnosed with dementia and required constant care, which placed a heavy burden on the couple’s finances. To make matters worse, their landlord had increased their rent.
Donald resorted to pawning jewelry to avoid eviction and keep his wife at home. Upon learning about his situation, Marie was moved to help. Initially, she and her fiancé, along with a few others, pooled together $1,300 to give to Donald, hoping it would provide some immediate relief.
“I told the owner of the shop and he decided he wasn’t going to collect interest from him … I thought that was really kind of him, and it kind of inspired me and my fiancé to start what I thought was just going to be a little GoFundMe,” Marie told NewsNation.
The moment was captured on video and shared on Marie’s TikTok account to her 63k followers. The video quickly went viral, resonating with viewers across the globe as people were deeply touched by Donald’s story and Marie’s compassion.
“I think it just pulled on everyone’s heartstrings,” Marie said in an interview with a local news station. “It went viral on TikTok, and next thing you know people from around the world were coming in with donations on GoFundMe in support of him.”
The viral nature of the story has sparked broader discussions about the challenges faced by elderly veterans and the inadequacies in the support systems meant to protect them. Many remarked how shameful it was that a veteran would be forced to sell his jewelry to afford rent.
“I hope two lessons: one is the smallest act of kindness can really change someone’s life in more ways than you could ever imagine, and the other is just to raise awareness that we have to do better for our veterans,” Marie said.
After the video went viral, more people from around the globe began donating and crowdfunding to the Gofundme page. A total of $411,000 was raised and given to Donald to help with his issues. His gratitude towards the people donating made him emotional.
Beyond raising money, Marie recognized that Donald required a more sustainable solution, so she and her husband have been looking to find more affordable housing for him. Their goal is to ensure that Donald and his wife can continue to live together in a place that won’t stretch their finances.
As Donald continues to care for his wife, he can do so with the knowledge that he is not alone. The kindness of Marie, amplified by the reach of social media, has ensured that this Air Force veteran can live out his remaining years with dignity and security.
