Just weeks after a viral video sparked an outpouring of support and nearly $1 million in donations, 78‑year‑old DoorDash driver Richard Pulley says he has no plans to retire. Pulley and his wife, Brenda, became the focus of national attention after Brittany Smith shared doorbell‑camera foot age of him carefully climbing the steps to deliver a Starbucks order in Eastern Tennessee. Smith’s post quickly spread and the video sparked a massive fundraiser aimed at giving them some financial breathing room. But Pulley says the reasons he began driving and the reasons he intends to continue are far more complex than the viral moment suggests. “My wife was working for an insurance company and they ended up letting her go,” Pulley told TODAY.com, noting that although they receive Social Security, it was tough to cover their bills and his wife’s costly medication.  “When she left, it really put a pinch on us to pay bills,” he continued. “I had gotten lazy. You know, when we get 65 and retire … I wasn’t doing a lot, but all of a sudden, I had to get to work.” Pulley threw himself into delivery driving, eventually completing nearly 6,000 DoorDash orders, often with Brenda riding along to keep him company. The work, he says, gave him purpose at a time when he needed it most. “I taught myself how to be a good worker again, although the last couple of shifts have worked out hard because people stop and take pictures with me and all sorts of things,” Pulley told the outlet. “I’ll get back to work in the next few days.” Pulley says that while financial strain pushed him into gig work, he discovered an unexpected benefit in staying active.  “They’ve set my wife and I up so that we can live a more comfortable life,” he said of the donors. “But after a week or two of this and it cools down, we’ll get back to work because I feel good being useful.” And the support hasn’t slowed. The GoFundMe campaign titled “Give Richard a Chance to Rest Again” has now raised more than $960,000 across 32,000 donations. DoorDash also contributed $20,000 to the community effort and is sending a small gift to Smith for helping bring Pulley’s story into the spotlight. ...read more read less