Donations pour in for families of Atlanta shooting victims
(AP Photo/Ben Gray)Shortly after his mother was killed in the Atlanta-area shootings, Randy Park launched a GoFundMe page asking for $20,000 to pay for funeral expenses. For now, donors to victims of the Atlanta shootings must scour individual GoFundMe accounts. A page for Yong Yueโs family drew more than $115,000. AdPark's family was the first to launch a GoFundMe page. This is simply a change in my life,โ Park wrote to the 70,000 people who had contributed as of Sunday afternoon.
โGifted, bright, energeticโ: Teacher talks about life, memory of murdered Virginia Tech graduate
WASHINGTON, D.C. โ The life of a young Virginia Tech graduate, 23-year-old Alexander Nwogu, was cut short early Monday morning. During his time at school, he also worked as a researcher for the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. โHe was a really gifted, bright, energetic student. The GoFundMe has already raised more than $20,000 to help out his family, which Klauer said, Alex adored. He had a strong Virginia Tech family here," said Klauer.
โThe support for her has been unbelievableโ: Woman burned in Roanoke County fire pit accident receives more than $15,000 in donations
ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. โ Jess Perkins is the life of the party who has no trouble making friends says her sister Lindsay Brown. "She collects friends through every stage of life.โHer wide network of friends came to her aid with GoFundMe donations after a devastating accident this weekend. โShe simply stumbled and lost her balance and fell face first into the fire pit,โ Brown said. Perkins, who moved from Roanoke County to Nashville four years ago, was back in town to attend a funeral. "Sheโs already been out of work for about 8 weeks and her savings are depleted.โBrown said Perkinsโ recovery could take a year.
โJust trying to do our partโ: Christiansburg company making intubation boxes for coronavirus patients
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. โ UPDATEA GoFundMe account has been set up to help New River Engraving to raise $10,000 to cover the cost of making the boxes. According to Howery, as of Saturday requests for boxes had come in from Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. ORIGINAL STORYA local business known for trophies and signs is now also trying to help protect doctors and nurses dealing with coronavirus patients. While the boxes are the main focus, the company is also considering making face shields for doctors and nurses. If youโd like to donate money to help the company, or would like to order a box, call 540-382-0232 or email orders@newriverengraving.com.
Beloved Virginia Tech therapy dog diagnosed with cancer, GoFundMe created for medical bills
BLACKSBURG, Va. โ Virginia Techโs top dog is taking on a serious health challenge, but fans are making sure he wonโt face it alone. Moose the therapy dog has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. His handler, Dr. Trent Davis of Virginia Techโs Cook Counseling Center, said the Labrador retriever has already started chemotherapy and will begin radiation treatment soon. "Itโs been a bit of a shock.โMooseโs former veterinarian has started a GoFundMe to help Davis pay for the dogโs medical bills. โItโs a mixture of gratitude, appreciation, and a little bit of sadness," Davis said.
โItโs just overwhelmingโ: People step up to help family after tragic house fire
RADFORD, Va. โ โI noticed there was smoke coming out of the windows and through the car park," Taylor Okes said, recalling what she did when she arrived home Saturday to find her house on fire. On the tailgate of a truck outside the home, family and friends sifted through old family photos pulled from the house. I always felt like I had a place to go,โ Taylorโs mother, Sherry Cromar-Thornton, said. Late Monday afternoon, a GoFundMe account, set up to support Taylor, had already raised nearly half of the $2,000 goal. How weโre able to reconnect, itโs just overwhelming," Okes said about all the support from the community.
Boy, 5, Thrown From Mall of America Balcony by Stranger Now Recovering at Home
A 5-year-old boy who was thrown off a third-story balcony at the Mall of America in a random attack nearly five months ago has recovered enough to leave the hospital, his loved ones said. Landen completed inpatient rehabilitation and has entered the next phase of recovery, which will take place at his home, his family said Tuesday on GoFundMe. Landen will undergo continued outpatient rehabilitation for multiple injuries and adjusting to life back at home and school, his family said. Landen was with his family at the Minnesota mall on April 12 when a stranger grabbed him and threw him over the balcony, officials said. RELATED STORIESMan Who Threw Boy at Mall of America Gets 19 Years in PrisonMore Than $500K Raised for Little Boy Thrown Off Mall of America BalconyToddler Is Recovering After Being Hit by Shrapnel, Losing Teeth in Texas Shooting
Pa. duo faked birth, death for GoFundMe
The couple raised a total of $550 from the GoFundMe, according to a company spokeswoman. Photographs of baby Easton were posted on the couple's Facebook pages, and the baby matched the "appearance of a newborn look-a-like baby doll," the complaint said. Police say they were unable to find any record that baby Easton ever existed. Police checked with the coroner's office in Somerset and Cambria County and neither had records of an Easton Lang, according to the complaint. CNN has also attempted to reach out to the people who gave the couple money and gifts.
Mac and Bob's gives employees scholarships with extra money raised for legal fees
After months of uncertainty, Mac and Bobs is finally out of the woods with more support than ever before. Community members raised more than $150,000 through a GoFundMe account and other fundraisers to cover legal costs. There was so much more of that than there was the negative," Mac and Bobs co-owner and president Bob Rotanz said. After all the legal costs, about $8,000 was left in the GoFundMe account, so the owners decided to give that to those who helped them through it all. He's helped more people than I can count on my fingers and toes at this restaurant," Mac and Bobs assistant manager Heather Welch said.
Historic Roanoke church raising money for extensive repairs
ROANOKE, Va. - Greene Memorial United Methodist Church is one of downtown Roanoke's most iconic buildings, but the historic church has been under reconstruction. "We thought we would go and take advantage of a new option for fundraising, to reach out across the country and across the world through GoFundMe," Waltz said. "We're excited to get back in the sanctuary," Waltz said. Waltz hopes the move to use GoFundMe to fundraise will allow anyone to financially help Greene Memorial continue its historic mission. "The community has changed, the church has changed, but its fundamental role has never changed," Waltz said.