A GoFundMe campaign has broken the record for the most individual donations in the website’s history, and it was for for George Floyd’s family.
Two days after Floyd’s death, the fund was set up on May 27. The 46-year-old died after former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin pressed a knee in Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin and three other MPD officers were fired and charged for Floyd’s death.
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao, the other three officers, were all charged with helping and assisting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
The video of the fatal encounter has sparked several days of protest and an outpouring of support for Floyd’s family. The GoFundMe page has secured more than $13.1 million in donations from more than 480,000 donors as of this writing. A GoFundMe spokesperson said the page has received the highest amount of individual donations ever.
The fund was originally started by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, whose appeal stated: “This fund is established to cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist our family in the days to come as we continue to seek justice for George. A portion of these funds will also go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund.”
The fund is now supervised by Adner Marcelin, one of the family’s lawyers.
Floyd’s family held a public memorial service for Floyd on Thursday at North Central University, about three miles from the site of Floyd’s death. Rev. Al Sharpton gave the eulogy.
“When I looked this time and saw marches where, in some cases, young whites outnumbered the blacks marching, I know that it’s a different time and a different season,” Sharpton said. “Go on home, George. Get your rest, George. You changed the world, George.”
A GoFundMe campaign for Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna has received more than $1.6 million in donations from over 53,500 people. Gianna’s page is managed by a lawyer and will be placed in a trust.
