Over €30K raised overnight in GoFundMe for Irish man who died in Florida
Paul Quigley (Quigs) from County Laois tragically passed away on 3 January in Tampa, Florida.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help raise funds to return Laois man Paul Quigley back to Ireland after he passed away suddenly on January 3 in Tampa, Florida.
The fundraiser was organised by John Flynn on behalf of Paul's family, the money from which will be managed by Paul's parents Jim and Jacinta Quigley.
According to the GoFundMe page: "Paul's loss has left a deep void in the hearts of his friends and family both in Ireland and America. He was full of kindness, humour, and love, and his infectious positivity touched everyone who knew him. We were all fortunate to have had him in our lives."
In an amazing outpouring of support, the fundraiser reached its goal of €30K in just one night.
The aim of the fundraiser is to raise money to cover the expenses related to Paul's death, including medical expenses, repatriation costs, funeral costs, travel arrangements and other family needs.
The fundraiser's page states that any surplus money received upon passing the target figure would be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, who the family says "have been a tremendous help to us during this difficult time."
The family added: "We ask that you keep your happy memories of Paul alive in your hearts. Whether big or small, these memories honour the wonderful person he was."
Since the fundraiser has now exceeded its original target, it has been increased to €35K in order to give even more support to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to help other families in such times of need.
Commenting on the huge amount of support the fundraiser has so far received, Paul's family said: "This achievement is a true reflection of the love and respect we all have for Paul, and it means so much to us.
"The speed at which we've reached this milestone is incredible. Paul's memory continues to inspire us, and in his honour, we're raising our goal. By increasing our target, we can extend even more support to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, helping other families in their time of need just as it has helped us."
They concluded: "From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Every additional contribution, no matter how small, will bring us closer to this new goal and make a significant impact."