Viral singing mail carrier thanks family who helped raise money for new car
A Chicago-area mail carrier is thanking the family who turned him into a viral sensation and helped start an online fundraiser that helped him buy a new car.
"I love you guys so much. It's because of you so many doors have been open for me that I've only dreamed of," Lavonte Harvey told the family in a "Good Morning America" interview that aired Wednesday. "There are not enough thank-you's in this world that I can honestly say or give you guys. Just know that you have my heart, and I will always be here."
Harvey went viral after Whitney Cumbo shared video clips of him singing for her grandmother.
"My grandmother lost her husband of 50 years, and the mail man is her daily dose of life," Cumbo wrote in text overlaid in a doorbell camera video she shared on Instagram on Feb. 6. "You are appreciated."
In the video, Harvey says, "This is for you, Grandma," before launching into a rendition of "Mississippi" by "American Idol" season 23 winner Jamal Roberts.
Cumbo's video post has gone viral in the two weeks since it was posted, racking up over 1.5 million views and more than 12,000 comments.
Harvey told "GMA" he loves to sing and likes to do so when he delivers mail.
"Singing isn't just music, it's about ministry. It's about spreading hope and joy," Harvey told ABC News Chicago station WLS.
Cumbo also started a GoFundMe for Harvey, and strangers rallied to raise enough money for Harvey to buy a new car, which has significantly helped improve his commute, cutting his typical two-and-a-half-hour trip down to about 30 minutes.
Harvey said he's now in regular contact with Cumbo and her family and said his life has been transformed.
Since going viral, Harvey said he has also started a new clothing company that aims to spread more joy.
