More Than 50K in Donations Raised for Funeral of 8-Y-O Tyler Doohan Who Died After Saving Six Family Members From Fire
Tyler Doohan, the 8-year-old hero who died trying to save his disabled grandfather from a house fire after saving six other family members in Rochester, N.Y., will get a hero's funeral after supporters donated more than $50,000 toward the expenses.
After young Doohan's death Monday, Theresa Fiorica decided to organize an account on crowd funding website youcaring.com to raise money for his funeral.
"Hero Tyler Doohan, 8, died trying to save two family members. He was brave to run back into the burning home. Please support the family and raise money to give this baby the service he deserves," wrote Fiorica in an introduction.
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The goal was to raise $15,000, but as of Thursday morning and with nine more days left to donate, the fund has raised more than $50,000 from people throughout the world.
"This child was clearly the true definition of a hero, motivated only by pure love and selflessness. Let us all hope to live our lives in honor of this angel. Strive to do at least one good, selfless thing for at least one person every day. What an extreme honor to have shared the world with you, Tyler. All the love and condolences in my heart to his family, but how lucky you were to have shared your lives with such a beautiful soul," wrote donor Della Matheny.
"Tyler fulfilled God's second greatest commandment by loving his neighbor as he loved his own self. 'Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends,' John 15:13. God bless you, Tyler Doohan, as you go to your eternal home to live with the Most High Jesus Christ," wrote another donor only identified as Darryl.
"What an amazing story. I am heartbroken for Tyler's family. You were so lucky to have such an exceptional little man in your lives," noted Jenny Hankinson.
Cpl. John Helfer of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office told The Associated Press that young Tyler Doohan was able to save six of the nine people who were sleeping in the single-wide trailer home where they lived in Penfield when the fire broke out about 4:45 a.m. Monday. Doohan's bravery saved the lives of four adults and two children, ages 4 and 6.
The boy reportedly returned to the burning trailer to save his disabled grandfather, Louis Beach, 57, but they both got trapped inside and perished in the flames, along with Steven Smith, 54.
Doohan's mother, Crystal Vrooman, told New York-based TV channel WROC that she was proud of what he did.
"It makes me so proud that he went the way that he did," she said. "He made it big, he made it really big and I'm really proud."
