Not all angels have wings

Four years ago, Casey Ryan McIntyre was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. 

The proud New Yorker was part of a small but present minority of women who are diagnosed with the illness at a younger age, and while she fought bravely for four years, Casey passed comfortably in her home earlier this month. 

Wait, isn't this Positive DONUT?... Don't worry, her story has a crazy inspirational ending.

The dedicated mother and wife was always looking for ways to give back and help her community. Before she passed, Casey and her husband Andrew prepared to launch a humble fundraiser in her name.

The plan: Casey hoped to buy back and clear outstanding medical debt for other families in need, which led her to partner with RIP Medical Debt, an organization that buys debt in bulk from hospitals and collection centers then pays off these debts for low-income families. She announced the fundraiser in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: 

• "A note to my friends: if you’re reading this, I have passed away," read the post. "I’m so sorry, it’s horses*** and we both know it... I loved each and every one of you with my whole heart and I promise you, I knew how deeply I was loved."
• She continued on, "to celebrate my life, I've arranged to buy up others' medical debt and then destroy the debt."

Andrew launched the fundraiser in the days after his wife's passing. And what happened next is where the positive actually comes into play. 

In the 12 days after its launch, Casey's fundraiser raised over $681,000; that's enough money to clear over $60 million in medical debt😮. And the total amount raised keeps growing – it now sits at $758,000.

💬 What they're saying: "It's taking off in a way that none of our campaigns really have," shared Daniel Lempert of RIP Medical Debt. "This is certainly the most any donor or group of donors have raised for us."

Interested in helping the cause this Giving Tuesday? Donate here.