Generous Donation From Taxi Driver
It was no surprise that John MacLellan gave what money he had to the local hospital in his will, but how much he left was a big surprise.
Johnny left $1.68 million to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, marking the largest single donation in its history.
He spent 63 years as a taxi driver in Antigonish Nova Scotia before retiring at 89 after a stroke. A family friend says he was always frugal, and she believes he made some of his money in the stock market.
MacLellan died in 2018 at age 96, and he gifted $1.68 million to the hospital in increments spread over several months. The hospital foundation didn’t realize the true size of the donation until it received the last payment.
The money has been put into an endowment fund that will be used to purchase new hospital equipment and for medical training. The palliative care unit where MacLellan spent a short period of time before his death has been named the John MacLellan Palliative Care Unit.
