A legally blind man in Little Rock, Arkansas, shared that he got a 38-cent raise at Walmart. He then proceeded to budget his paycheck for his followers to see how hard it is to live with his slightly increased salary. The internet was shocked, of course, and they decided to donate tens of thousands of dollars to help him afford transportation.
The man in question is Jacoby Brown, also known as theeblindguy_ on TikTok. He works as an overnight stocker at Walmart, and he often shares content revolving around his legal blindness and his daily activities. The clip in question quickly became his biggest one ever, garnering 4 million views, 883,100 likes, and 31,600 comments.
The Arkansas man detailed in his clip that he was previously making $1,578 at Walmart. He, however, has since received a 38-cent raise, resulting in a $1,616 paycheck. Jacoby then described that his most recent two-week paycheck was $1,273, as he had done a bit of overtime. With his TikTok earnings, he received $1,367.
He then began budgeting his paycheck, detailing how much rent, his electrical bill, and grocery shopping cost. Mostly, however, due to his legal blindness, he spends around $200 a week on transportation. While there is paratransit available in Little Rock, the option isn’t available for him, as it isn’t present in his area. Therefore, he is forced to spend money on taxis.
“That leaves me with $408,” he added.
However, the Arkansas man then detailed that he needs to pay $102 for a dentist appointment. He also spends $80 in self-care and saves $223 in the hopes of moving to another state and city, hopefully to one more accessible and walkable.
“After all of my expenses, I’m left with a dollar,” Jacoby said.
Reactions Led To Actions
The clip sparked multiple responses online. Some users were left dumbfounded by the small raise. One viewer commented, “These jobs kill me with these ‘cents’ as raises.” Another one believed Jacoby shouldn’t be spending a dime on transportation, adding, “Ride shares should be subsidized for disabled people.”
Others, meanwhile, believed they could be of great help. One user wrote, “We want you rich…. Immediately!” Many more commented generic questions to boost the clip’s reach, with one asking, “What’s y’all’s favorite color?“
Jacoby’s story had a great effect on people. Moved by his situation, many donated to a GoFundMe he set up to afford his transportation and to save up for an eventual out-of-state move. As of this article’s writing, the Arkansas man has raised more than $82,000, and he will most likely reach his $90,000 goal very soon.
