Andy Le, now the sole survivor of his family and the brother of Katie Le, the 5-year-old who was killed in the Vancouver festival attack, is donating half the proceeds from his GoFundMe to other survivors and their families.
Andy Le — the 16-year-old whose stepmother and father were also killed in the deadly attack on the Filipino festival last weekend — announced in a video released this week that he is giving away more than $266,000 Canadian dollars from a fundraiser set up for him. It had raised over half a million Canadian dollars as of its close on Tuesday.
Le’s uncle, Toan Le, told NBC News the funds would be donated in the coming weeks and that they are searching for an organization to give to.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much. I truly appreciate each and every one of you,” Andy Le said. “I know that many other families are hurting too, which is why I would like to donate $266,000 to the other victims from my GoFundMe campaign.”
The Saturday attack killed 11 people and injured more than two dozen others. The victims ranged in age from 5 to 65, officials said at a news conference Sunday, adding that the death toll could rise. So far, law enforcement has not given a motive, but it has ruled out terrorism as a possibility.
Officials said the suspect, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, who has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, had a history of mental illness and was known to police. Lo was under the care of a mental health team at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), the facility said in a statement Tuesday. But he was on an extended leave under the Mental Health Act at the time of the attack.
Toan Le told NBC News that his brother, Richard Le, 47; his sister-in-law, Linh Hoang, 30; and his niece, Katie Le, 5, were killed. Andy Le survived, the GoFundMe said, because he opted to stay home to finish his homework instead of attending the festival with the rest of his family.
The fundraiser was initially started to pay for Andy Le’s college education in addition to final expenses for his three family members. In a post on the GoFundMe page, Toan Le said that the funds would now also go toward direct or indirect victims and cover expenses including funeral costs, education, counseling and medical expenses.
“Our hearts go out to all of the families affected by this tragedy,” Toan Le wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Stay strong—we are with you.”
Toan Le also shared details about Andy Le’s late family members, writing on the GoFundMe that Richard Le was a dedicated father, badminton and tennis coach and real estate professional.
“He devoted his life to teaching young people the values of sportsmanship and team spirit,” Le wrote on the GoFundMe. “He served his community and clients with pride and always went out of his way to help others.”
Le went on to say that Linh Hoang, Andy Le’s stepmother, was “known for her kindness and gentle spirit.” And Katie was just about to graduate from kindergarten.
“She was vibrant, joyful, and full of life,” Toan Le said of Katie, who was among the youngest of the attack victims.
In his video, Andy Le said that he plans to continue living with his grandparents.
Locals previously told NBC News that the festival that was attacked is one of the largest Filipino celebrations of the year. It honors the 16th century Filipino chieftain Datu Lapu-Lapu, who defeated Spanish forces and remains a symbol of resistance against colonialism.
Diana Silva, a vendor at the festival who left just 30 minutes before the attack, said that during a vigil for the victims, community members didn’t hesitate to start brainstorming ways to support survivors and help grieving community members.” Silva said it was reflective of the spirit of the chieftain himself.
“Lapu-Lapu is all about resilience, and he stood up for the Philippines,” Silva said. “I think that’s what our community is doing now.”
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