Yahoo News Jay Slater GoFundMe hits £30k as mum confirms what she's doing with the money
A fundraiser set up by the last person to speak to Oswaldtwistle teenager Jay Slater, who went missing during a holiday in Tenerife, has hit its target of £30,000 just days after it was created.
The GoFundMe created by Lucy Law to “get Jay Slater home” had now received more than £32,000 in donations by Monday morning (June 24) with some well wishers donating up to £600 each. The page was set up by Jay's friend three days ago and a post below, which claims to be from the 19-year-old's mother Debbie Duncan, confirmed it was “approved by our family”.
The post said: "Hi everyone, this is Debbie, Jay's mother. Thank you all for your generosity and kindness during this difficult time.
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"I wanted to confirm that this is the only GoFundMe fundraiser approved by our family. We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves.
"The funds will remain on hold with GoFundMe until we post a further update on this page. We are extremely worried and are doing everything we can to find Jay.
"Please continue to share our fundraiser far and wide. Your support means the world to us, and we are grateful for any help you can provide."
We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves. The funds will remain on hold with GoFundMe until we post a further update on this page.”
The apprentice bricklayer disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus. He had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends before his disappearance.
Lucy, who went to the festival with the Accrington and Rossendale College student, said he called her at about 8.30am on Monday and told her he was “lost in the mountains, he wasn’t aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1%”. Debbie, who flew to Tenerife on Tuesday, said searching for her son was “an absolute living nightmare”.
She told ITV News: “He’s the life and soul, he’s a beautiful boy.” Jay was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with shorts and trainers, and carrying a black bag.
Search teams have narrowed their efforts on small buildings close to where his phone last pinged in Tenerife. Officers from the Guardia Civil in the Canary Islands could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park on Sunday.
Efforts appeared to be solely focused on the one area after days of searches in the village of Masca and the surrounding landscape. Those conducting the searches on the seventh day of the hunt for Mr Slater could be seen looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.
The efforts come after the teenager’s mother issued a direct plea to her missing son, saying: “We just need you home.” Ms Duncan told the PA news agency she has “not slept” since the 19-year-old disappeared.
She said she did not know whether the Spanish authorities turning down an offer of help from the UK was because they viewed it as “an insult”. Asked how the family was coping with the situation, Ms Duncan said: “We’re not. I’m not coping very well at all.
“I’ve not slept, I’m exhausted. It’s been awful. I can’t give up on him, I just can’t.”
