Chris Mintz, the heroic Army veteran who was shot seven times while confronting the UCC shooter on Thursday, is feeling the love from nearly 8,000 very appreciative people.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by his cousin on Friday has raised over $258,718 in just seven hours.
A total of 7,914 people, so far, have donated to Derek Bourgeois’ mission to make sure Mintz and his family will be financially stable while dealing with the aftermath of the injuries he sustained while rushing toward 26-year-old gunman Chris Harper Mercer.
“You’re not getting by me,” Mintz reportedly told Mercer as he blocked the doorway into a classroom at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. The gunman did not enter the room, but shot Mintz seven times.
Thursday was his young son’s birthday.
“He is a father, a veteran, a student, and now he’s a hero,” Bourgeois wrote. “During the shooting both of his legs were broken and he is going to have to go through a ton of physical therapy. While Chris is not the type of person to ask for it, he is going to need all of the help he can get while he recovers!”
The 30-year-old student became a trending hashtag on Twitter while remaining in serious condition on Friday after surgery for his injuries, which include bullet wounds in the back, the abdomen and hands, as well as two broken legs.
Bourgeois promised that all funds raised will “be sent directly to Chris to assist with his recovery,” including medical bills, paying his bills while he out of work and childcare for his son.