A fundraiser set up to raise $2,500 for a daughter to travel to the Island and support her father is nudging toward $10,000 in donations.
Kayleen Salter, who lives in Calgary, is raising money to cover expenses of a trip to the Island after her 45-year-old father, Charles Salter, who is experiencing homelessness, was intentionally run over by a motorist and pepper-sprayed in the Wellington area on July 10.
READ ALSO: Person experiencing homelessness struck intentionally by motorist in Nanaimo
Salter set up a GoFundMe page to raise $2,500 to cover expenses of travelling to Nanaimo, but the rush of donations quickly surpassed her request and as of Wednesday, July 21, had topped $9,300. Salter gave her thanks in a video update she posted on the fundraiser page and said she was overwhelmed by the support shown by the donations.
“Thank you so much for all your support, financial support,” she said. “It means a … ton to me. It’s a big load off my shoulders as I’m unable to work at the moment as I’m clearly dealing with this. It has been a huge shock to me, my family, my brother.”
She said she had spoke with medical staff who informed her that her father’s injuries were severe, but he would pull through, though it would be a long road to recovery. She was also in discussions with her family to see how they could begin supporting him as his recovery progressed.
Salter had not been in contact with her father for several years before the incident.
“He’s a good man and, unfortunately, his choices have led him to homelessness,” she said in the video. “I still love him and regardless of the hardships he’s finding himself in and what led him to this horrible … thing.”
In written updates posted on the GoFundMe page Salter said she is overwhelmed with gratitude “over the generosity and support being shown to my dad, and the family … so much has happened in so little time and I never expected this GoFundMe to blow up the way it has.”
Salter said all donations being made since the fundraiser reached its $2,500 goal will go into a trust fund to help support her father’s recovery.
To learn more or to donate to the fundraiser for Charles Salter, visit https://bit.ly/3zkol8Q.
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