Dad who charged Larry Nassar in court donating his $31K GoFundMe fund to charity

Randy Margraves, the distraught father who charged at Larry Nassar in court for sexually abusing his three daughters, was the recipient of more than $30,000 in donations he received after a friend and co-worker of his established a GoFundMe account in Margraves’ name.  That GoFundMe account only had a goal of collecting $1,000; but donations quickly soared. The original statement on that page simply read:  Please help support Randall Margraves. This is the official Go Fund Me page to help a brother and friend in need. Thanks.

Fox News reports that Margraves is grateful for those donations but doesn’t want the money.  He released a statement on his GoFundMe page that contributors could request a full refund and that he’d be distributing any balance left over from that account after March 9 between three charities: The Firecracker Foundation, Small Talk and RAVE.  All three of those organizations help support sexual abuse survivors.

Margraves thanked his friends and co-workers at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for establishing the account which went on to raise $31,311 before it was closed.  Margraves went on to post to his GoFundMe page . . .

“At the time of the incident, I didn’t know that the great brotherhood had done this, and I was overcome with gratitude when I found out. I appreciate everyone stepping up to support me, but help is not needed for me. After giving people the chance to get a refund, the donations will go to organizations that help the sisterhood of survivors and other victims of abuse.” – Randy Margraves

In a Michigan courtroom on February 2, after Margraves was denied by the presiding judge in the case against USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar to have five minutes alone with the “demon” that sexually abused his daughters, Margraves simply told the judge “Well, I’m going to have to,” and charged at Nassar, according to CNN.  Margraves didn’t get too far though and was stopped and tackled by courtroom security and remained pinned to the floor until he was ultimately escorted out of the courtroom.

Later that same day, Margraves was back in court apologizing for his actions. Fox News reported that during his apology, Margraves told the judge that he just “lost his cool.”

“I came here in support of my daughters … I’m not here to upstage [them],” Margraves said. “I’m here to help them heal.”  Judge Janice Cunningham told Margraves that she could have charged him with contempt but added that she decided against that option.

“I don’t know what it would be like to stand there as a father and know that three of your girls were injured physically and emotionally by somebody sitting in a courtroom. I can’t imagine that,” the judge said.  ~ per The Chicago Tribune

Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison after more than 150 women and girls testified in court that he sexually abused them over the past twenty years, according to CNN.

https://youtu.be/GDQ9SCKiocg

~ Written by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter