Who was Matthew Farias? Boy, 9, died while saving mom from California shooter, family raises $42K
At least four people died during a mass shooting in the city of Orange, Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The shooting, which occurred at an office complex, reportedly left two others injured.
One of the victims of the shooting was a 9-year-old boy named Matthew Farias, who died while protecting his mother from the shooter. According to various reports, Matthew died in his mom Blanca Tamayo’s arms. Tamayo, who was inside the building that was targeted by the accused, was wounded but survived. The accused, Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, has been charged with multiple counts of crime. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the charges against Gonzalez include four counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and one count of attempted murder.
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In process of protecting his mother, Matthew, a third-grader at Hoover Elementary in Santa Ana who turned 9 on February 21, died. “My angel, he saved his mom from dying. He took the bullets for her,” Rafael Farias, father of Matthew, told USA Today. The last thing Rafael remembers hearing from his son, Matthew, were the words the little boy told him every day: “I love you, Daddy.”
We all know how difficult it can be for a family to live without their child and words cannot express the family’s grief right now. Since the news of Farias’ death surfaced online, people have been thinking about how they can help the family from California. But it seems, they have found a way. Marlene Alcaraz has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to ensure that Matthew’s family will be able to perform the last rites of their son without facing any difficulties.
People come together to help the family
The amount raised through the fundraiser will assist the family in conducting a funeral service for the brave boy.
The official synopsis of the fundraiser states, “On Wednesday, March 31 2021 there was massive shooting inside a real estate building in Orange. The shooter fatally shot Mathew Farias which was 9 years old. This is a total shock for our family and we need help with raising funeral funds. Any help is appreciated.” At the time of writing this article, $42,485 has been raised through the fundraiser and it continues to receive more donations from a plethora of people with good souls. More than 300 people have donated money and the numbers continue to increase minute after minute. The fundraiser intends to raise $50,000 for Matthew’s funeral.
On the other hand, a second GoFundMe page was created by a user named Thalia Tovar, daughter of one of the victims, to raise money for all the families who have been affected by the gruesome killings.
“I am Thalia Tovar, the daughter of Luis Tovar, and sister of Genevieve Raygoza, two of the lives lost in the Orange mass shooting. I have created this in hopes to raise enough funds for funeral services and medical expenses for all the families affected. We are still in shock and trying to fathom and grasp our heads around this tragic event. Please keep all of us affected in your prayers, including our loved one who is still fighting for her life in critical condition. Any amount is appreciated,” Thalia wrote on the GoFundMe page.
What happened after the shooting?
The suspect was shot in the head and hand during the massacre and remains hospitalized. He is in critical but stable condition, according to the authorities. The latest development in the case suggests that the court ordered that Gonzalez be remanded to the custody of the sheriff’s department. No bail has been set.