Viewers raise £40,000 for Bridgnorth Deal or No Deal player after 'heartbreaking' appearance
Kind-hearted viewers have raised more then £40,000 after a contestant from Shropshire suffering from a life-limiting disease left the game show Deal Or No Deal with just £5.
Brad Wale, who lives in Bridgnorth but is originally from Wolverhampton, appeared on the hit ITV show last Thursday.
Brad left viewers emotional when he told host Stephen Mulhern up about his Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The 29-year-old, who last year took part in a sky-dive to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease Association, said that his condition was life-limiting and he was hoping to win enough money on the show for his family and to tick off some bucket list items.
The show's audience could be seen wiping away tears, but in a further twist of fate, Brad, who turned down the banker's offer of taking home £12,500, left the show with just £5.
Viewers took to social media after the episode aired last week to say how "heartbreaking" Brad's appearance had been.
However, since the show screen on Thursday, Brad's co-contestant on Deal Or No Deal (DOND) Rochelle Hughes announced she had set up a fundraiser in a bid to help Brad raise the money he needed.
She said on the Gofundme page she set up for Brad: "I’m sure you all saw Brads devastating game on Deal or No Deal. His DOND family really want him to fulfil his dreams and we have set this up on the hope that anyone could maybe spare a couple of pounds and get Brad to tick some bits off his Bucket List."
The fundraiser has now exceeded £42,000.
Brad said he was "overwhelmed by it all".
Speaking on Facebook, the former pub manager, said: "I just want to say a massive thank you, for all the messages of support I have had. I'm truly overwhelmed by it all and never in my life did I expect it. I had the best two weeks filming this amazing show and have truly made friends for life."
He continued: "Stephen Mulhern and all of the production team on the show were honestly the nicest person you'd wish to meet and i feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity."
He later added: Thank you so much for all your lovely messages, posts and donations, completely overwhelmed by the response I’ve had.
"Thanks so much again.. Genuinely means so much. Thank you Thank you, Thank you."
If you wish to donate to Rochelle's fundraiser for Brad it can be found at: gofundme.com/f/37j2m2k6ko
