A heartwarming act of kindness unfolded in a New England pawn shop that has now captured global attention.
Jenelle Marie, an employee at U.S. Gold & Pawn in Manchester, New Hampshire, was deeply touched by the story of Donald, a 90-year-old Air Force veteran facing financial hardship due to increased rent while caring for his wife who was recently diagnosed with dementia.
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Donald was visiting the pawn shop to sell his jewelry for rent money, prompting Marie and her fiancé to launch a GoFundMe campaign to support the veteran.
“He shared with me that his wife had just received a dementia diagnosis and his landlord had raised his rent, which really tugged at my heartstrings,” Marie shared with NewsNation. “I informed the shop owner, who decided to waive the interest for Donald… This act of kindness inspired me and my fiancé to initiate what I thought would be a small GoFundMe campaign.”
Marie captured the moment she presented the initial $1,300 raised to Donald on TikTok, and the campaign quickly gained global attention, with contributions pouring in.
@jenellemarie0212 #veteran #actofkindness #usgoldandpawn #manchesternh #fypage #viral #feelgoodvideo ♬ original sound – Jenellemarie0212
“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 expressed.
In a follow-up video, Marie shared birthday wishes for Donald from across the country, including a swag bag with autographed hats and balls from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The GoFundMe has now reached over $434,000.
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