Michigan man stops accepting donations after strangers raise $784,273 for him
Walter Zerod requested supporters redirect their generosity to other families and charities after a viral prank led to a massive fundraising campaign.
A Michigan father of four, Walter Zerod, has decided to stop accepting donations following a viral fundraising campaign that raised $784,273 for his family, according to the Times of India.
The GoFundMe campaign was started on October 27 by Arizona resident Luke Oakenshield after a video of Zerod being targeted by social media pranksters went viral.
The incident occurred at a Meijer grocery store in Michigan while Zerod, a frozen pizza delivery worker for Red Baron, was stocking shelves.
A prankster approached Zerod and played a sound mimicking an Apple Pay transaction, pretending to have taken $10 from him, which led to a confrontation.
Zerod announced on November 5 that he was pausing the campaign, which had received contributions from approximately 22,800 donors.
He stated that the funds and messages had helped his family and enabled him to spend more time at home.
Zerod encouraged people to instead support local churches, charities, or other fundraisers helping families during the holiday season.
The parent company of Red Baron, Schwan's, said Zerod remains a valued employee and expressed support for him after checking on his wellbeing.