When Sean Cummings' wife, Cathy, died from cancer in February, he thought giving back to his community would be the best way to honor her memory and legacy. The 65-year-old widower of The Village, Oklahoma, is on a mission to pay off school lunch debts for students across the state. So far, more than $80,000 has helped thousands of students in 26 school districts since Cummings started his quest shortly after his wife died. The majority of the funds are being raised through a GoFundMe page.
Cummings said when he visits schools, he usually talks with a school administrator or faculty member about paying off debts. He doesn't meet the students who are in need because of privacy concerns. The majority of the individual debts usually range from $50 to $100. A few have been more than $200. Cummings said with each gift he thinks of his late wife. "I know she would be thrilled and very proud that this is what we've done to start developing her legacy," he added.