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Queens Woman Leaves Life Savings To Failed Doomsday "Prophet" Harold Camping
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 4, 2011
Modified Jun 4, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 4, 2011
Modified Jun 4, 2011
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Queens woman Doris Schmitt has left her life savings of a quarter-million dollars to Harold Camping's Christian media company Family Radio; yes, the man who predicted the world would end on May 21st (and otherwise a complete stranger to Schmitt). The 78-year-old woman, a widow, died alone in her Rosedale home a year prior to the doomsday date of May 21st.
According to the NY Post, the remaining $50,000 was left to Schmitt's two nieces, and her great-nephew told the paper, "If the money had gone to any other charity in the world my family would be fine with it. But it's going to this kooky preacher and that's why we're upset." It was allegedly only after the recent doomsday craze that they realized who exactly Harold Camping was.
Schmitt had allegedly turned to Family Radio for comfort—she was an alcoholic, whose life was marked by tragedy, according to the Daily News. One of her nieces told the paper, "It became her entire life."
Perhaps Camping will use the cash to buy his followers some nice Kool-Aid for the real rapture, which he says is now happening in October.
Tagged
doomsday
Doris Schmitt
harold camping
money
queens
rapture
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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