This browser does not support the Video element.
GoFundMe for elderly man and wife removed from website
GoFundMe says a fundraiser set up to support 81-year-old Don Johnson, a resident of The Colony, was removed from the platform due to a "violation of our Terms of Service."
THE COLONY, Texas - A fundraiser aimed at supporting a local elderly couple from The Colony has been taken down.
GoFundMe removed
What we know:
GoFundMe says the fundraiser supporting Don Johnson has been removed from its platform for a violation of its Terms of Service. The organizer account, originally started by Erin Howell, was also terminated.
The company says any donations made to the fundraiser have been refunded.
Read the full statement from GoFundMe below:
"Ensuring GoFundMe is a safe and trusted place to give and receive help is our top priority. After further review by our Trust & Safety team, the organizer account and fundraiser have been found to be in violation of our Terms of Service, and the fundraiser removed and refunded. Taking action like this allows GoFundMe to protect donors’ generosity and our continued ability to support people who are fundraising to help others. GoFundMe’s policies, along with those of our payment processors, require authenticity and transparency for donors, and are strictly enforced. Because that standard wasn't met here, all donors have been refunded under our GoFundMe Giving Guarantee, which guarantees a full refund in the rare case something isn't right."
The backstory:
Erin Howell, a resident of The Colony, started the GoFundMe to help Donald Johnson, an 81-year-old man who she saw struggling to deliver recently lost luggage to her residence.
Johnson told her he's been delivering luggage as an independent contractor for the last three years to pay for medical bills for his wife Josephine, his wife of 57 years who is battling cancer.
This browser does not support the Video element.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: NTX community helps 81-year-old support wife's cancer fight
An elderly resident of The Colony has been returning lost luggage to make money to support his wife's cancer treatment. Now, his community is helping him retire and support his wife. FOX 4's Lori Brown has more.
The GoFundMe said all money from the campaign would go towards paying Josephine's medical bills and allowing Johnson to retire to care for his wife.
As of Thursday morning, more than 5,300 people had made donations, raising more than $281,000.
In an interview with FOX 4's Lori Brown, Donald and Josephine Johnson expressed gratitude to everyone who has donated to their cause.
"I think I'm going to be able to stop working, and that's amazing," Don said. "So we're not quite totally over the hump yet, but we're getting there very quickly."
"I can face it. I think that's the big difference," Josephine said. "Some have made comments and they're praying for us. And it's just, it's a joyful feeling."
What's next:
FOX 4 has reached out to GoFundMe for more details on the violation that led to the fundraiser's removal.
The Source: Information in this story comes from GoFundMe and previous FOX 4 reporting.