GoFundMe appeals for victims and ‘heroes’ of Dublin stabbings raise €600,000

Fundraisers for the stabbing victims and those who heroically stopped the attack in Dublin on Thursday have raised more than €600,000 between them.

The money, which was donated following the horrific incident on Parnell Square last week, will be given to carer Leanne Flynn Keogh, delivery driver Caio Benicio, trainee chef Alan Loren-Guille, “unsung hero” Warren Donohoe, and the three children injured in the gruesome attack.

Ms Keogh received multiple stab wounds in the attack after placing her body in front of the knife wielded by an Algerian-born Irish citizen.

She is currently recovering from her injuries at a Dublin hospital following multiple surgeries.

In response, a GoFundMe was set up “to support the carer who bravely put herself in front of so many children so they could run to safety while putting her own life at risk”.

The ‘Support Hero Carer & Children Attacked In Dublin’ fundraiser has received more than 13,000 donations amounting to €247,761 to date.

The organiser stated that the funds will also be donated to the children and families impacted by the attack, including a five-year-old girl who remains in critical condition in Temple Street Hospital.

They noted that the money will be divided among the victims once they have made a recovery and assured that “every cent” raised will be donated to the injured children and carer, following verification from GoFundMe and Gaelscoil Colaiste Mhuire.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe titled ‘Buy Caio Benicio a pint’ has raised €360,969 with more than 33,000 patrons donating to the cause after Mr Benicio stopped the attacker by hitting him with his helmet on Parnell Square.

The Brazilian Deliveroo driver was on his motorbike in the area when the incident unfolded and was one of the first on the scene to disarm the knife-wielding attacker.

The appeal saw an outpouring of gratitude from the public as organiser Paul Darcy wrote: “The man’s a hero and the least we can do is buy him a pint so I’m asking you to donate the price of a pint of Guinness in your local to Caio so that he knows the people of Dublin appreciate him.”

It was stated GoFundMe had been in contact with Mr Benicio to ensure the money will be transferred directly to him.

GoFundMe appeals have also been set up in honour of French teenager Alan Loren-Guille, a trainee chef at the Michelin-starred Spitalfields Restaurant in south central Dublin, and Wicklow man Warren Donohoe, who was in the city to celebrate his 11-year-old daughter’s birthday with his family.

The ‘Buy Alan Loren-Guille a pint (hero)’ fundraiser has taken in €12,382 to date, while the ‘Buy Warren Donohoe a pint! Unsung hero of Dublin’ appeal has raised €11,820, with the heroic dad being added as a beneficiary on the official GoFundMe page.

News of Alan’s actions on Thursday afternoon made its way back to France and the 17-year-old received a personal phone call from President Emmanuel Macron to thank him for his bravery.

Spitalfields Restaurant paid tribute to him online, lauding him as a “superhero” as they detailed how he wrestled the knife off the attacker and prevented him from harming more victims.

“This is our own 17 year old super hero Alan Loren-Guille who was one of the brave heroes that managed to disarm the school children attacker yesterday in Dublin on his way to work.

“He is one of our brilliant French stagiaires in the kitchen @spitalfields_dublin. He noticed something happening as he passed by and selflessly jumped in to stop the attacker and managed to wrestle the knife off him. He was fairly unscathed but for a couple a cuts to his hand and face.

“Without this act of bravery who knows what else might have happened. Our prayers are with the poor children, families and teachers who were affected by this tragedy. Please lookout for one and other. Not all superheroes wear capes.”

And Warren’s wife Stacey Power Donohoe told the Sunday World how her husband was the first to go to Leanne Flynn Keogh and the children’s aid.

“Warren ran over and dived on the fella. This was at the time the Brazilian fella (Caio Benicio) had go off his bike and was throwing his helmet at him.

“The girl, Leanne, had kicked the knife away from him and the Brazilian lad picked it up and took it across the road and threw it in the bushes.

“As he did that, Warren stayed on top of the attacker – he had him pinned to the floor, but all the while I could see the poor child in the puddle of blood.

“If she hadn’t wrestled him for as long as she did a lot more children would have died, because he was targeting the children. You could see all he wanted to do was to get through her to get to them.”

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