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Amber Roof had to cancel her wedding to
husband-to-be Michael Tyo after the massacre of nine black parishioners
at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17.
Via Amber Roof GoFundMe page |
Amber Roof, the sister of
Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, was set to be married just four days
after her brother killed 9 parishioners at the historic black Emanuel AME
Church on June 17th.
The couple chose to cancel the wedding to both mourn the victims and to protect their family.
The couple chose to cancel the wedding to both mourn the victims and to protect their family.
According to the Washington Post, Amber alerted
authorities after seeing her brother on surveillance footage publicized after
the shooting.
On
June 27 she set up a GoFundMe page to crowdfund her wedding and honeymoon. The
description provided for the campaign, called "A Fresh Start For Michael
and Amber," makes only a vague reference to Dylann Roof's involvement in
the attack.
"Our wedding day was supposed
to be the most important and special day of our lives. It was supposed to start
our lives together with our new family. Our day was the exact opposite.
Our
wedding day was full of sorrow, pain, and shame, tainted by the actions of one
man. We know money cannot replace the wedding we
lost and our perfect day, however it will help us to create new memories and a
new start with our new family,” she wrote.
The poster looked to raise
$5,000 for lost wedding costs, to pay bills and to go on a "dream
honeymoon." She also pledged to donate 10% of the money raised to the
church. As of Wednesday July 1st morning, the campaign had raised $1,500 through 31 donors, the largest contribution being $200.
The crowdfunding campaign was met with
criticism and support.
“I’m sorry but it is insane to me that you have the nerve
to ask people to donate for a honeymoon! Look I’m sorry your brother screwed
up your wedding plans, however I’m way more concerned about the people who lost
their loved ones,” a commenter by the name of Melissa Williams-Stewart wrote.
“They are trying to afford to bury the people they loved due to the stupidity
of your brother… If I’m going to donate it will be to the families that lost their
loved ones.”
Another post accused Roof of deleting comments from her
GoFundMe page.
“What did you do? Delete the comments? You don’t deserve
any sympathy for your poor missed wedding.
Your racist family killed innocent people !!!!!!!!!! if I saw you or
your parents I’d spit in your faces!!!!!,” read a post by Scott Howell.
“I am so glad to have you as a life-long friend. You are
such an amazing woman & deserve all the best things in life. You’re one of
the strongest people I know! Michael and the kids are so lucky to have you!
Love yall,” contributor Nicole Chmielowski wrote on the page.
Another contributor wrote he was donating because of the
recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States.
“Me and my partner finally have the opportunity to
legally get married after dating for 5 years. I cannot imagine how upsetting
this would be. Please accept my small donation as a token of my support,” wrote
Corey Parks, who donated $10.
The campaign was pulled down by GoFundMe organizers on July 2nd, following media coverage of the fundraising effort.
edited from Mashable and Global News
