A GoFundMe campaign created to help an elderly theater worker in Maryville, Tennessee, has successfully raised over $143,000 from 7,400 donors. According to the Daily Dot, this surge in support follows a viral video posted on X that captured the woman working at her job, prompting an immediate and massive response from the online community.
Brooklyn Green, the organizer of the fundraiser, first noticed the woman while visiting a local AMC theatre. She decided to film a short clip of the woman from behind to ensure her privacy while sharing the situation with others. She eventually created the GoFundMe page titled Help an Elderly Theater Worker Enjoy Retirement to see if she could secure enough financial support to help the woman step away from her current role.
Green wrote, “My name is Brooklyn, and I created this GoFundMe to help an elderly woman who works at our local movie theater. Seeing someone in their later years still working so diligently inspired me to try to make a difference.” She also explained her intent, stating, “My goal is simple: to bring our community together and, if possible, surprise her with financial support that could help ease her burden and allow her to enjoy the retirement she deserves.”
The campaign was moving slowly till the video hit X
The momentum on X was fast, with the total amount donated jumping significantly as more people shared the campaign. One user on X, @gofishh77, helped bring widespread attention to the effort when the total was still hovering around $18,000.
The online reaction, however, has been mixed. Many are excited about the prospect of a surprise reveal. One commenter noted, “Im in for $10. Its up to $85k. This lady has zero clue this is going on. The reveal should be fantastic.”
Others urged caution and questioned the assumptions being made about the woman’s life. One person wrote, “I think this is so lovely, but maybe she has this job in order to have purpose, and to busy her day? Has anyone had a conversation with her?” Another added, “She is probably at her full retirement age and probably drawing her husband’s. Some people just don’t want to be in the house all day.”
There were also critical voices about her job. One user commented, “What the hell? There are a multitude of better jobs for an elderly woman than maintenance in a movie theater, like literally any desk job. Why would she choose to work there?” Another user expressed a deeper frustration with the state of affairs, writing, “It’s disheartening that we can’t help her that quickly. But this is America.”
It is important to note that Green has not yet spoken with the theater worker about the fundraiser. Per ABC7 Chicago, she did visit the theatre and found out that the staff referred to her as Ms Mary. She told her followers that Ms. Mary did the work because she liked working. Green was told that Ms. Mary may not take the money, so she told everyone that she was going to let Ms. Mary use the donations for charity if she wanted to.
As of now, the fundraiser remains open and is still accepting donations from those who want to contribute to the total. GoFundMe, as a tool, has helped many people. Recently, after actor James Van Der Beek’s passing, a GoFundMe was crucial for his family. For Megan Dixon, a GoFundMe is her route to live life without pain.
Published: Jun 3, 2026 12:30 am