Elderly DoorDasher climbs 40 steps to deliver food. Customer vowed to change his life overnight and kept her word
Ireland felt sorry for Bailey after realizing he had climbed three flights of stairs to reach her doorstep.
Working in old age often comes with silent struggles. Seeing someone still working hard when they should be enjoying retirement and rest can make anyone feel heartbroken. When Ireland Dannehold placed a simple DoorDash order on June 12, she never imagined that her brief interaction with Larry Bailey, her delivery driver, would prompt her to start a heartfelt mission to help him raise funds.
Ireland Dannehold, who often places food deliveries on DoorDash, was heartbroken to see an old man at the doorstep who also had knee braces on him. Ireland felt bad when she realized Larry Bailey had walked three flights of stairs to get to her door for the delivery. But even after she took a few minutes to answer the delivery, she was amazed at the positive attitude showcased by Larry Bailey. "I opened the door, and he just started smiling, and then I noticed on the camera he kind of had a limp to him when he walked away, and I just felt bad that he had to walk up those stairs," Dannehold said.
But even after he left, Ireland couldn't stop thinking about the interaction and wound up showing the doorbell footage to some of her friends, who encouraged her to post it on TikTok. She decided to tip him a little extra and later posted her doorbell footage on TikTok to see if anyone else would want to help him. Ireland urged people to donate to the GoFundMe page she had created for him. Soon, the video hit more than 2 million views, with online users flooding in to contribute their share for Larry Bailey. The GoFundMe helped Ireland raise over $21,000. Soon, the duo got to meet each other for the second time, where they called the experience a 'surreal moment'.
As for Bailey, he enjoys DoorDash as it helps him save up money that he spends. He revealed to News4Jax that he does not intend to waste the money he received and is yet to find a way to use it for something good. "Someday, I am not gonna be able to work if I am still alive. We are gonna need money, so part of that, and I have got some, but I just want to make sure I live a lot longer now than I thought I would. You just never know how long you’re gonna live," he said. According to a study done by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2025, it was found that 38.3% of employed Americans aged 65 and over were working part-time, defined as fewer than 35 hours a week. In contrast, just 11.1% of workers aged 25 to 54 were employed part-time. The findings highlight how older workers are more likely to reduce their hours, either due to health considerations, lifestyle preferences, or the need to supplement retirement income with flexible work arrangements.
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