$2.7 million raised for sons of Atlanta spa shooting victim
Hyun Jung Grant was shot and killed when a gunman entered an Atlanta-area spa and opened fire
Exceeding his goal of $20,000, Randy Park’s GoFundMe account created in his mother’s memory on Thursday to raise money himself and his brother, amassed more $2.7 million from almost 72,000 donors.
Hyun Jung Grant, 51, was one of nine victims of an Atlanta-area shooting spree on Tuesday.
“She was one of my best friends and the strongest influence on who we are today,” Park posted on the GoFundMe page. “As much as I want to grieve and process the reality that she is gone, I have a younger brother to take care of and matters to resolve as a result of this tragedy.”
Having established the account in hopes of receiving help with rent, groceries and other household expenses, Park expressed his great surprise and appreciation for the supporters of the fund.
Read More: Rallies in Atlanta, nation against hate after spa shootings
“I don’t know how any word I write here will ever convey how grateful and blessed I am to receive this much support,” he posted, feeling this response has created “a second chance” for him and his brother.
He continued, “To those of you that have donated any amount of money. To put it bluntly, I can’t believe you guys exist.”
“People I will probably never meet, hear, nor express my thanks to. This is simply a change in my life. Thank you everyone so much. This doesn’t represent even a fragment of how I feel,” he said.
Park told NBC News that his mom moved the family from Seattle to Atlanta about 13 years ago for a better life in an area with a rich Korean heritage of its own.
Park, a bakery cashier, also spoke of the tremendous sacrifices made by Grant to support him and his brother. Per NBC News, Grant would often sleep at the Atlanta spa, a 30-mile drive from the family’s home in Duluth, between long shifts.
“She spent her whole life just existing for my brother and I. She never had time to travel,” Park said in an interview with ABC News on Friday. “She would only be home a certain amount of days every few weeks.”
Read More: Spa shootings could be first test of Georgia hate crimes law
In the GoFundMe post, Park said that now, his mom can “rest easy knowing I have the support of the world with me.”
The 21-year-old suspected shooter from Woodstock was charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault for two Atlanta spa shootings and one in Cherokee County.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!
