A woman who started a fundraiser to help the 2-year old boy whose parents were killed during the Illinois parade shootings said Wednesday that she was amazed by the number of people who gave more than $2.5million in one day to their surviving son.
Irina Colon thanked more than 47,000 people for their support of the fundraiser and said, “They were so generous.” She added, “We can’t be thankful enough.”
Colon, a distant relative to Irina McCarthy (35), who was killed in the shooting, started the fundraiser right after the shooting to support Aiden McCarthy.
Aiden was discovered in the chaos surrounding the July Fourth shootings in Highland Park, a Chicago suburb. Irina McCarthy told the Chicago Sun-Times that Aiden’s father, Kevin McCarthy (37), died while protecting him.
Irina Colon stated, “It is overwhelming.” People are not only donating money. They donate everything: their time, babysitting and wipes. They are just reaching out to say, “What can I do?” How can we help? I have too many messages. There are probably 1000 messages in my inbox.
Tony Colon, Colon’s husband said that the money might help to “shed some light” on the darkness left by the shooting.
Authorities have confirmed that five other victims were killed and many more were injured when a gunman opened fire on paradegoers below from a sniper’s vantage point.
Seven counts of first-degree killing were filed against the 21-year old suspect. He is likely to face additional charges for injuries.
Authorities said Wednesday that the suspect had confessed to the shooting, and was considering a second attack in Wisconsin.
Irina McCarthy received a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University, Chicago in 2009. Her husband was awarded the same degree two years later. The firm’s chief executive stated that he was a star employee at a gene therapy company.
Irina Colon stated that Irina McCarthy’s close-knit family was destroyed.
She said that “Irina was their sole daughter.” They love her beyond measure.”
