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More than 1,000 donations have flooded into a fundraising effort for the teenager whose father allegedly shot and killed her mother and the woman’s boyfriend a week ago in St. James.
The GoFundMe effort for Gianna Coppola, 15, has raised more than $96,000 in five days.
Authorities said Coppola was seated in her father Daniel Coppola’s car outside her mother Kelly Coppola’s home just before midnight on Aug. 28 when Daniel Coppola burst into the house and ambushed his 50-year-old ex-wife and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman, 53.
“Kelly’s love for her daughter Gianna was unmatched, and so it is in her memory that we ask for donations to help our niece Gianna,” reads the GoFundMe page established by the Patton family of Oceanside. “Your generous donations are greatly appreciated and will be used for Gianna’s future education and well being expenses.”
Some donors left heartfelt messages, along with their contributions.
“Words can’t describe how im feeling as im still in a state of shock,” wrote Dave Kuntz. “Kelly was a wonderful person with a heart of gold and would do anything for her daughter Gia and others. Her beautiful smile, personality and sense of humor was breathtaking … you will be truly missed and Gia will be well taken care of.”
You can click here to donate to the GoFundMe effort for Gianna.
Gianna Coppola is a cheerleader with the Long Island Cheer Diamonds and a sophomore at Smithtown High School East. Long Island Cheer has asked its members to help support the teen.
“Let’s band our LI Cheer family together to support our girl,” the group said in Facebook and Instagram posts. “Please consider donating to the gofundme set up to help support Gianna.
The Suffolk County district attorney’s office said that Daniel Coppola, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, admitted to the killings, according to reports. Newsday reported on Wednesday that Daniel Coppola was badly injured in an attempt to commit suicide while being held at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead.
Hundreds of mourners attended Pohlman’s funeral Tuesday at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Melville, the New York Post reported. Funeral services are being held Wednesday night, as well as Thursday afternoon and evening, for Kelly Coppola at Moloney’s Holbrook Funeral Home, 825 Main St. in Holbrook.
Top photo: Gianna and Kelly Coppola (GoFundMe).
