“Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland is having a difficult few days. After losing her cousin in a car accident over the weekend, she has found herself having to confront negative responses on social media following the news of his death.
Hyland vented on Twitter on Monday morning, a day after telling her followers that her cousin, Trevor Canaday, had died, writing, “How dare you attack when a beautiful life has been lost.”
“I’d like to ask those who have negative thoughts or opinions about the tragedy that happened to my family, to keep them to themselves,” Hyland tweeted. “You don’t know all the details. And how dare you attack when a beautiful life has been lost.”
Hyland announced the death of Canaday on Sunday, writing, “Yesterday my 14 year old cousin was killed by a drunk driver named Jeffrey Eggerling. My Uncle is in the hospital awaiting more surgeries. PLEASE keep your prayers with my family during this horrific time. And please DONATE.”
The Omaha Police Department confirmed Canaday’s death following a traffic collision Saturday, noting that the driver of the other vehicle, identified as Jeffrey Eggeling, had been booked on two counts of DUI causing serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.
Though Hyland did not specify the “negative thoughts or opinions” that she took issue with in Monday’s tweet, the actress had been criticized on social media for asking people to donate to a GoFundMe campaign seeking donations for Canaday’s funeral expenses, as well as for medical expenses relating to the collision.
A commenter on Hyland’s Instagram account wrote, “Says alot about the kind of person you are that you would ask your followers to donate for your cousins [sic] funeral, when you sit in a position of great privilege and have more money then [sic] most of would ever hope to see in our lifetimes.”
Another commenter added that “celebrities are notorious for asking others to donate to friends and families [sic] gofundme pages. Why would they bother covering the costs when they can keep expanding their wallets while everyone else pays.”
On Twitter, there were similar criticisms.
“You make enough money to cover the expense I’m just curious why your [sic] asking.”
“This sad [sic] but you make millions and millions of dollars off of modern family, you can afford to take care of that payment instead of asking fans that make less than u,” read another comment.
Yesterday my 14 year old cousin was killed by a drunk driver named Jeffrey Eggerling. My Uncle is in the hospital awaiting more surgeries. PLEASE keep your prayers with my family during this horrific time. And please DONATE https://t.co/mwlaIvUYrs
— Sarah Hyland (@Sarah_Hyland) December 2, 2018
I’d like to ask those who have negative thoughts or opinions about the tragedy that happened to my family, to keep them to themselves. You don’t know all the details. And how dare you attack when a beautiful life has been lost.
— Sarah Hyland (@Sarah_Hyland) December 3, 2018
You make enough money to cover the expenses I’m just curious why your asking.
— Morgan (@dylana45) December 2, 2018
This sad but you make millions and millions of dollars off of modern family , you can afford to take care of that payment instead of asking fans that make less than u
— spamster (@spamster6) December 3, 2018