When three students from a Texas high school learned that an 80-year-old custodian struggling to pay his bills was forced out of retirement due to the rising cost of living, they took action to help him out.
The Callisburg High School students launched a GoFundMe campaign for Mr. James on Feb. 15 with an initial goal of $10,000.
“We know that $10,000 really isn’t anything these days — but we’re hoping that whatever we can get can give him a little bit more cushion,” Marti Yousko, a senior at Callisburg High School, told NBC affiliate KTEN.
The students' fundraiser quickly gained traction, collecting more than $35,000 over three days.
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As of noon Friday, the fundraiser has amassed more than $260,000 from over 8,000 donations.
“Thanks so much to everyone that has donated and spread the word to help Mr. James. You all have made a huge impact on him that will forever change his life,” Greyson Thurman, a senior and the organizer of the campaign, wrote in an update on the GoFundMe page.
Mr. James came out of retirement in January after his rent increased, according to KTEN.
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“He shared with me his rent within a year has gone up nearly $400, and he just couldn’t afford to continue paying without going back to work,” Jason Hooper, the principal of the school, told the news outlet.
Thurman told KTEN that when he learned why the custodian started working again, he and his peers felt the need to step up.
“When I saw him in the hall, it broke my heart,” Thurman said. “Nobody at that age should be working; they should be living the rest of their life.”
The campaign will stop accepting donations on Friday at noon.
