An Idaho family’s Ring doorbell camera recorded the driver buying them a Diet Coke with his own money after the store ran out during a delivery.
BOISE, Idaho — After weeks of viral attention and an outpouring of community support, Dan Simpson, better known to his Idaho neighbors as “Dan the Man,” is settling into a quieter chapter of life.
Simpson, a longtime pizza delivery driver whose small act of kindness captured national attention in March, has officially retired following a fundraising campaign that raised more than $170,000.
A Boise family’s Ring doorbell camera recorded Simpson buying a customer a Diet Coke with his own money after the store ran out during a delivery. The moment quickly spread online, drawing millions of views, recognition from Domino’s and widespread community support.
The donations ultimately gave Simpson the financial freedom to retire earlier than he ever expected.
“I got up this morning … and I checked my bank account and there was $163,000, what a retirement gift that was,” Simpson said.
For Simpson, the sudden attention has been overwhelming. Now, he says, he’s ready for life to slow down.
“I’m ready for normal again,” he said. “I got up today thinking, well, I’ll never get another phone call for an interview.”
Instead of spending the money on luxury purchases, Simpson plans to focus on simple pleasures including traveling, photography and time outdoors.
“I might buy a van. I’m gonna buy my decent van, I think,” he said, adding that he hopes to explore back roads, photograph native plants and possibly drive to the coast on a whim.
The quieter lifestyle represents a hard-earned milestone. Simpson openly shared his past struggles with addiction and incarceration, saying he has been sober for nearly 24 years.
“I got in a lot of trouble with drinking and drugs,” he said. “When I got out, I said, ‘That’s it.’ I knew I’d never drink again.”
Since leaving prison, Simpson said he worked multiple jobs and tried to rebuild his life.
“Ever since I stepped out of prison, I’ve basically worked two jobs and worked hard and tried to do the right thing,” he said.
Now financially secure, Simpson hopes to give back to others facing similar challenges, including volunteering and supporting addiction recovery efforts.
“Maybe get them grounded in something that doesn’t make drugs and alcohol necessary in their life,” he said.
Despite the viral fame, Simpson said the experience was never about recognition.
“So thank you, Boise. Thank you, Treasure Valley,” he said. “You made my life quite a little bit easier.”
Even in retirement, Simpson said he plans to continue delivering pizzas on weekends as a way to stay connected to the community that changed his life.