81-Year-Old Grandma Plays Minecraft to Pay for Grandson's Cancer Treatment

Sue Jacquot never thought she'd become a YouTuber. Gaming? That was her grandkids' thing, not hers.

Then 17-year-old Jack Self got his diagnosis. Sarcoma cancer. Aggressive. Over 200 rounds of chemotherapy needed.

The 81-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona made a choice. She'd learn Minecraft. Not just play it. Master it enough to stream. All to help pay Jack's medical bills.

"I was never curious about the game," Jacquot told Local12. "But when grandkids want to interact with you, you do what needs doing."

She launched GrammaCrackers on YouTube last October. Her first video? 'The BEST START EVER in Minecraft - Part 1.' Fifteen minutes of genuine, unpolished gameplay.

The video exploded. Over 740,000 views. Within a month, the channel hit 100,000 subscribers. Now she's at 333,000.

Gaming All Night Because Nobody Tells You When to Sleep

Jacquot didn't ease into this. She went full throttle.

"I was playing all night," she admitted to ABC15. "No mum to tell me to go to bed."

Jack's brother Austin watched his grandmother figure out crafting, building, survival mechanics. The whole family was mind-blown. Here was their 81-year-old grandmother navigating hostile mobs and resource gathering like she'd been gaming for years.

Each video includes a link to Jack's GoFundMe campaign. The gaming community responded. Donations flooded in, from one dollar to five thousand. The GoFundMe has raised over $42,000. Add YouTube ad revenue and the total climbs higher.

"Donations ranged massively," Austin said. "It was surreal watching thousands of strangers support our family."

The Medical Bills Kept Piling

Sarcoma is brutal. Rare. Aggressive. Jack endured months of intensive chemotherapy at various hospitals. The family bonded over Minecraft during treatment, with Jack teaching his grandmother the game between sessions.

Treatment costs mounted fast. "Like a mortgage on a small house," Jacquot described the medical expenses.

The YouTube channel became more than entertainment. Revenue flows directly to covering treatment costs that insurance won't touch. Every view, every subscriber, every comment of encouragement translated into financial relief.

Cancer-Free and Feeling Great

The news broke recently. Jack announced he's cancer-free.

"I'm feeling great," Jack told ABC15 during a family visit to their Queen Creek home.

The channel's followers celebrated in comments and across social media. Messages poured in from around the world. Some shared their own cancer survival stories. Others just wanted to thank Jacquot for being brilliant.

Gaming Community Shows Its Heart

Comments on GrammaCrackers videos reveal something special. People aren't just watching for Minecraft content. They're invested in this family's story.

"We love you gramma," one viewer wrote. "Your grandson will beat this. Thanks for brightening our days."

Another shared: "My dad beat cancer. Your grandson will too."

The warmth extends beyond kind words. The Minecraft community has a history of rallying for good causes, but this hit different. An 81-year-old learning a game from scratch to help her grandson survive? That's raw, human determination.

What Happens Next

The channel's future remains uncertain. Jack's recovery continues, though the immediate medical emergency has passed. Whether Jacquot maintains her upload schedule or scales back is unclear.

What's certain? She's built a loyal community. One that values her effort, her closeness with her grandsons, and her willingness to step into unfamiliar territory for family.

Gaming often gets dismissed as childish. Time-wasting. But stories like this prove otherwise. Video games brought three generations together during the hardest period imaginable. They created a platform for global support. They literally helped save a life.

Jacquot's still playing, still uploading, still shouting "die, die, die" at zombies and skeletons. Most days you'll find her at her desk, headset on, notes in front of her, exploring a pixelated world she never expected to love.

All because when your grandson needs help, you figure it out. Even if that means becoming a gaming YouTuber at 81.