Who is Minecraft's 'GrammaCrackers'? Granny Goes Viral As 81-Year-Old Raises £32,000 For Grandson's Cancer Treatment

A viral story about an 81-year-old grandmother recently made the rounds on social media for her ability to turn a simple introduction to Minecraft into a fundraising effort that helped clear her teenage grandson's cancer treatment bills. Online, this transformed her into an unlikely YouTube success story. Who Is Minecraft's GrammaCrackers?

Sue Jacquot, an 81-year-old grandmother from Arizona, created a YouTube channel in October after being introduced to Minecraft by her grandchildren during the summer. She named the channel GrammaCrackers and began uploading gameplay videos despite having no prior experience with video games or online content creation. Her stated purpose was clear from the outset, as she aimed to raise money through advertising revenue and donations to support medical costs for her 17-year-old grandson, Jack, who had been diagnosed with cancer.

How Minecraft Became A Fundraising Tool

Jacquot explained that she first played Minecraft as a way to spend time with her grandsons, Jack and Austin, who encouraged her to try the game. She later told ABC15 that 'I was never really curious about it but when you have grandkids who come to you and want to interact with you, you do it'. Austin said he was 'mind-blown' by how quickly she learned the game and became comfortable navigating its mechanics.

After a few months of playing, Jacquot set up her YouTube channel and uploaded her first video in October, titled 'The Best Start Ever in Minecraft'. The 15-minute video included a link to a GoFundMe page and a pledge that all revenue generated would go directly towards Jack's medical bills. Within one month, the channel exceeded the 1,000 subscribers required for monetisation and reached 100,000 subscribers in the same period.

The GoFundMe page, set up by Jacquot's other grandson Austin, bears this statement: 'This account was created to help with the medical treatment related to my little brother, Jack Self's recent Sarcoma Cancer diagnosis. Despite his strength and bravery, the journey ahead is challenging and requires extensive medical care. We are reaching out to our community, friends, and kind-hearted strangers to support Jack in his fight against this aggressive disease. Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly towards his treatment and help ease the financial burden on our family. Your generosity and prayers are deeply appreciated as we navigate this difficult time. Thank you for standing with Jack and being a part of his battle to beat cancer.'

The response surpassed expectations as Jacquot's first video gained more than half a million views and later uploads consistently attracted tens or hundreds of thousands of viewers. At the time of writing, her channel had more than 221,000 subscribers. The associated GoFundMe page raised over £32,450 (approximately $43,500), with donations ranging from small contributions to larger sums. Austin recalled, 'There was donations anywhere between, like, a dollar all the way up to $5,000.'

Impact On Her Grandson's Treatment

Jack was diagnosed in 2024 with a form of sarcoma cancer, which affects bones and soft tissue and required frequent hospital stays. He described the treatment process as demanding, stating, 'It was not easy at all. I had, like... like 200 chemos over the course of a year.' Following months of treatment and financial support generated by the channel, Jack later confirmed that he was cancer-free and 'feeling great'.

Audience Response

Jacquot said she was overwhelmed by the reaction from viewers, describing the experience as 'the most incredible thing'. Despite previously planning to retire from YouTube in 2024, Jacquot later returned and remains active on the platform.