Fundraisers for Toronto family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet top $400,000
In less than a week, two GoFundMe campaigns for the Toronto family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet have far exceeded their fundraising goals.
Korchinski-Paquet died after a fall from the balcony of a 24th-floor apartment in High Park on May 27. Her death sparked a protest in Toronto calling for the end of anti-Black racism and drawing thousands of people demanding answers about her death.
The outpouring of support for the family of the former gymnast and church volunteer has also flooded two fundraisers.
A GoFundMe campaign started by Korchinski-Paquet’s sister, Renee Beals reached over $325,000 by the morning of June 2, more than tripling the initial goal of $100,000. Nearly 4,000 people had donated.
“On May 27th 2020, my sister Regis Korchinski Paquet, tragically lost her life, she was so special and meant the world to us,” Beals wrote of her sister. “She was kind, beautiful and she will be missed beyond belief. We are asking the public to help with meeting are goal to get the proper justice we need.”
Donors left messages of support on the campaign page.
“Black Lives Matter. Justice for Regis matters,” one message reads. “Regis Korchinski-Paquet deserves justice,” another donor posted.
A second fundraiser organized by Justice for Regis had a goal of $80,000 but reached more than $130,000 as of June 2.
Police have been unable to comment on the incident as it is now the focus of an active Special Investigations Unit probe, but the young woman's mother revealed in a press conference that she called them out of concern for her daughter's mental health.
The family has retained the services of acclaimed human rights lawyer Knia Singh.
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