PHOENIX — World War II veteran Jack Holder lost nearly his entire life savings in a sweepstakes scam three months ago. By Wednesday evening, he’d gotten all of it back — in donations.
A GoFundMe page created last week for the 94-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, who flew aerial combat missions over Midway and the English Channel, raised more than $48,000 over the Memorial Day weekend.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Holder said Tuesday from his house in Sun Lakes. “How in the world will I ever repay people for their graciousness?”
Holder never thought he’d recover the money he and his fiancée lost in the scam and said they were resigned to living off their Social Security incomes.
“I’d never even heard of GoFundMe. I didn’t know they existed,” Holder said. “I’m in shock.”
Holder’s story went viral after The Arizona Republic first detailed how con artists convinced him he’d won $4.7 million and a new Mercedes-Benz in a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes.
A reader created the GoFundMe account in Holder’s name Thursday as a way to thank him for his service and to restore his faith in people.
Gilbert, Ariz., resident Shana Schwarz said she had never met Holder but was moved by his story. She said she couldn’t provide a lot of financial support, so she channeled her skills into setting up the page and promoting it through social media.
“I’m out of work right now,” the 33-year-old mother of three said. “I only donated $25. But I knew I was good with fundraising and I am good with social media. So that’s what I did.”
Schwarz’s page raised almost $20,000 for Holder by Saturday. She said donations spiked each time the story was repeated.
The Republic was the first to share the GoFundMe link. Several veterans organizations also linked to the page. Then local television stations picked up the story. Holder’s story was featured Sunday on CNN.
Schwarz and Holder met for the first time Monday. Schwarz said she showed him how to access the GoFundMe page and released a check to him for the first $19,000.
“It was amazing meeting him,” she said. “We both cried. I’ve been crying on and off all weekend.”
Schwarz said Holder reminded her of her grandfather, who was a civilian test pilot and flew fighter planes in the movie Tora, Tora, Tora, which was about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He died 13 years ago.
“If this had happened to my grandfather, I’d want people to step up,” she said.
Schwarz said she was overwhelmed by the response to the page and this weekend turned over control of the GoFundMe page to the Greatest Generations Foundation, an international non-profit veterans organization based in Denver.
The organization’s executive officer, Timothy Davis, said Tuesday the campaign had almost reached its $50,000 goal. A quick check of the page Wednesday showed the total at $53,107.
“We’re blessed to help Jack out,” he said in a phone interview from Normandy, France, where he was preparing for D-Day anniversary ceremonies. “We don’t want to see anyone go through what Jack did.”
Davis said foundation officials would continue monitoring donations but likely would stop the campaign shortly after it hit its goal.
“If we can raise a little bit more and help him out, well do it,” he said.
More than 732 people had donated to the page by Wednesday evening, some as a way to honor all veterans, others for far more personal reasons.
“I am broke and cash-low right now but I can spare a 10 for this guy,” Tim Bullard wrote on the GoFundMe page. “One of his B24 runs over the English Channel may have saved my father’s life. I could owe him everything.”
Barry Jones wrote that he hoped those responsible for stealing Holder’s money would be punished.
“I am sorry that you were so poorly treated by the lowlifes that prey on society,” he said. “While I don't have much to give, I hope I can at least help a little.”
Holder was a Navy flight engineer on a PBY Consolidated Catalina amphibious plane and was stationed in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked. On June 4, 1942, he and his crew took part in the battle of Midway, where Holder said they sank an enemy submarine.
Beginning July 1, Holder spent seven months and flew 48 missions around Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. In 1943, he was dispatched to Devonshire, England, and flew 56 missions over the English Channel, engaging in aerial combat with German fighter planes.
Holder wrote a book published last month about his WWII experiences titled Fear, Adrenaline and Excitement, and he frequently lectures about the war and his life in the oil business.
Holder and his fiancée, 78-year-old Ruth Calabro, in March received several calls telling them that they had won a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes.
As part of the elaborate scheme, Holder was instructed to provide account and other personal information to collect his winnings.
Holder next opened a new bank account where thieves deposited $43,000. Holder was instructed to send the money to addresses in New York and New Jersey to avoid tax liabilities on the $4.7 million.
A week later, Holder and his fiancée realized the money that had been deposited into his new account was actually coming from their savings accounts.
Holder filed reports with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chandler Police and Bank of America. But he said he had very little hope of getting the money back.
Holder said he went public about being scammed because he wanted to make sure nobody else fell for the scam. He said he never expected the outpouring of people who wanted to help him.
“Maybe you can put it in words I can’t find to tell people how grateful I am,” Holder said, adding that the donations have helped restore his faith in people. “It just goes to show you.”
Holder promised he would not squander the money. And he also promised he would never again respond to a sweepstakes entry.
“Never,” he said. “Even if I get something in the mail, I’ll throw it away.”
Follow Robert Anglen on Twitter: @robertanglen
