What began as a routine Starbucks delivery has turned into a life-changing story of kindness for a Tennessee couple.
After a Ring doorbell camera captured 78-year-old DoorDash driver Richard Pulley slowly climbing a set of steps while delivering an order, the customer who posted the video online launched a search to find him. Within days, the clip went viral and sparked a nationwide fundraising effort.
The woman who shared the video, Brittany Smith of Manchester, Tennessee, said she was moved by the sight of the elderly driver struggling but still working. She posted the footage online asking people to help identify him, writing: “Help me find this precious man.”
Smith soon located Pulley and learned he and his wife, Brenda, had taken on delivery work after Brenda lost her job. In their late seventies, the couple struggled to cover everyday expenses and medical costs.
Smith launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the couple return to retirement. Donations poured in from thousands of strangers across the country.
When Smith met the Pulleys at a local restaurant and revealed how much had been raised, the couple was stunned.
“It’s taking a lot of pressure off of us,” Richard Pulley said, explaining that the support is allowing them to finally step away from delivery work.
Brenda Pulley said the generosity has been overwhelming.
“It’s hard to believe that so many people who don’t even know us would want to help,” she said.
As of March 15, donations had surpassed $900,000, giving the couple the financial security they had hoped for after decades of work.
Reflecting on the woman who started it all, Brenda said simply: “I can’t believe someone cared enough to do this.”
