Times Union
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A Facebook campaign to send Christmas cards to 8-year-old burn victim Safyre Terry has become a powerfully expanding crowd-funding effort.
By late Wednesday afternoon, the HELP Fatal Arson Survivor Safyre Terry and Family fund took in $161,000. As word of the card campaign went viral, the money kept pouring into the fund. During the span of just a few hours Wednesday, more than $25,000 was donated.
The contributions came in as word of Safyre’s wish for Christmas cards spread across Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and other social media sites.
“BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE She did. When she said she can’t wait to fill up the card tree my response was I don’t think it’s gonna get filled up but I am sure we will get a few more cards,” Safyre’s aunt, Liz Terry-Dolder, wrote on Facebook Tuesday.
“She BELIEVED and ALL of YOU are making it happen. THANK YOU. ....FAITH LOVE HOPE TO ALL.”
Terry-Dolder has not responded to interview request and the family has remained out of the spotlight as the campaign has grown.
The suspected 2013 arson at 438 Hulett St. in Schenectady’s Hamilton Hill neighborhood killed Safyre’s father, David Terry, 32, and her siblings, Layah, 3, and Michael Terry, 2; and Donavan Duell, 11 months old. The girl spent months in a hospital burn unit after the fire.
She lost one of her hands and needs a specially made mouthpiece to stop her mouth from shrinking because of scar tissue problems. She has endured repeated plastic surgeries.
Cards can be sent to: Safyre Terry, Box 6126, Schenectady, NY 12306
The fund can be found here.
Last month, jurors in U.S. District Court in Albany convicted Edward Leon of St. Johnsville of lying to a federal grand jury about his whereabouts on the night the fire.
Leon, 43, faces up to 10 years in federal prison when his is sentenced March 8. Authorities have said Leon threatened David Terry.
No one has stood trial for the deaths.
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