How A DoorDash Delivery Turned Into A $900k Retirement Fund For 78-Year-Old Driver

If you clicked on this story hoping for an inspiring tale of how one man managed to earn nearly a million dollars DoorDashing, dream on. The driver in question didn't come into his $900K fortune through hard work or a massive tip left by a customer who felt guilty over calling for delivery during bad weather, or was grateful that the driver didn't eat any of their food. Instead, he received his windfall due to the kindness of strangers.

What happened was this: 78-year-old Richard Pulley and his wife, Brenda, were working for DoorDash because it's tough to find employment of any kind once you're over a certain age. (That age being 58, according to a 2024 survey by TransAmerica Institute, although other evidence suggests the struggle may start in your 40s.) A customer saw him on her doorbell cam and realized that nobody would take on such a job in their late 70s if they didn't need the money, so they posted online to try and identify the man. 

Once that was done, they contacted Pulley and verified that, no, DoorDashing isn't a fun hobby for him. So they started a GoFundMe so he'd actually have a retirement fund. The campaign has so far raised over $900,000 out of a $1.1 million goal, so it looks like the Pulleys, unlike many retirees, will get their happy(ish) ever after.

Sadly, Richard and Brenda Pulley are not alone when it comes to working physically demanding, low-paying jobs just to get by in what used to be called the "retirement years." Very few private-sector workers receive pensions these days, and when you're living paycheck to paycheck, it's hard to fund a 401(k) or IRA. According to the National Council on Aging, fully 45% of seniors don't have sufficient funds to cover even basic living expenses, while 80% could be knocked out by a serious illness or a spouse/partner's death. While DoorDash is apparently willing to hire older workers (as a gig employer, they're not paying benefits, so the risk to them is minimal), other seniors have found themselves having to work alongside teenagers in fast food restaurants.

Within less than 10 years, older workers (ages 65-74) may well outnumber younger ones, which may make the concept of retirement seem more and more like a perk reserved for the wealthy. As a result, seniors are becoming the new teens when it comes to fast food workers, since they can pay the same low wages to employees who may have more advanced customer service skills than younger people, as well as a stronger need to hang onto the job no matter what. After all, older people often have bills to pay and may still be supporting families. They're also unable to move back in with their own parents, as seems to be the norm for many young adults these days. There aren't enough GoFundMes in the world to save everyone. But at least the Pulleys should be okay, so that's one bit of good news to brighten your day.