An 81-year-old Texas man who continued working to help pay for his wife’s cancer treatment has lost access to more than $281,000 raised for his family after GoFundMe shut down the fundraiser. Don Johnson, from Dallas, had been working as a contractor returning lost luggage for about three years. A video showing him struggling to carry two heavy suitcases up a flight of stairs went viral, prompting Erin Howell to create a fundraiser after learning about his circumstances. More than 5,300 people reportedly donated after hearing that Don was still working because his wife, Josephine, was battling pancreatic cancer. GoFundMe later said its Trust & Safety team determined that the organizer account and fundraiser violated its Terms of Service and removed the page, refunding the donations. The company said its actions were intended to protect donors and ensure authenticity and transparency.

Don’s daughter, Amy Johnson, disputed the decision and said the fundraiser was removed over what she described as a technical issue involving the account’s name. Speaking emotionally, Amy insisted that everything stated on the fundraiser was true and said the family had been hopeful the money would cover medical expenses and allow her father to stop working. She claimed the page had reached about $700,000 in donations before it was closed, although GoFundMe confirmed more than $281,000 had been refunded. Don had previously said the support gave him hope that he could finally retire from the physically demanding work. A replacement fundraiser has since been launched on GiveSendGo, where it has reportedly raised more than $45,000. The situation has left Don’s family facing another difficult setback while Josephine continues her cancer treatment.