A massive line of Indiana residents waiting for $100 vouchers after going eight days without power has gone viral, with many criticizing the difficulties residents faced trying to get assistance, particularly for elderly and disabled people who may struggle to stand in a long line.
Uploaded to TikTok by @jackiecox71, the brief video opens with the creator showing an exceptionally long line before saying, “This is Gary, Indiana, without power for eight days.”
According to the Indiana creator, the residents were waiting in line to receive a $100 voucher. The sheer size of the crowd quickly became one of the most striking parts of the clip. As Jackie points out in the video’s caption, elderly and disabled people may not be able to stand in such a long line. That could leave them without aid.
TikTok Wants Answers
The comments quickly moved beyond the line itself, with viewers questioning why Indiana residents were still without power and what was being done to fix it. “What I wanna know is why is the power out and what are they doing to fix it? Can somebody answer that?” one commenter asked.
Another viewer questioned the broader response to the outage, asking, “where’s the leader of our country?” Others pondered what $100 could realistically do after eight days without electricity. “$100 to do what with,” one person wrote.
The situation also prompted frustration over Indiana’s priorities. One commenter pointed to the state’s plans to build a multibillion-dollar football stadium for the Chicago Bears, writing, “Remember Indiana is actively working to build multi billion dollar football stadium for Chicago Bears, free of charge.”
Indiana is pursuing a potential Bears stadium in Hammond, although the comment’s “free of charge” characterization isn’t accurate. The Bears have committed $2 billion toward the project, while Indiana has approved a public financing package that could direct more than $1 billion toward stadium-related development and infrastructure.
Another viewer compared the situation to a previous prolonged outage in Dayton, Ohio. “Crazy how there were no tik toks or outrage for dayton Ohio when we had no power for 19 DAYS!!!!” they wrote.
Not everyone zeroed in on the voucher or the blackout. One commenter added context: tornadoes, severe storms, and flooding had torn through the region, damaging power lines and knocking down poles in surrounding communities. The commenter also referenced a shooting involving utility crews. A NIPSCO vehicle being used by crews restoring power in Gary was struck by gunfire, temporarily halting restoration work in the city.
There’s something especially heartbreaking about seeing people who have already gone days without a basic necessity have to stand in a massive line just to get a little help. After eight days without electricity, many viewers questioned how far a $100 voucher could realistically go toward replacing spoiled food and covering other expenses caused by the outage.
