A US tourist seriously injured in an alleged assault in Dublin city centre almost three months ago has raised just $125 (€120) since he set up a second GoFundMe page following a dispute with his son over money raised in an earlier fundraiser.
Stephen Termini (57), from Buffalo, New York, suffered serious injuries after allegedly being attacked on Talbot St in Dublin in July.
Three teenagers have been charged in connection with the incident are awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions in their cases.
Mr Termini was hospitalised for several weeks due to his injuries, with one of his sons - Michael (Mike) Rizzuto - setting up a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses and travel costs to enable Mr Termini's family to come to Ireland to be with him during his recovery.
More than €120,000 was raised through the GoFundMe page.
However, a dispute between Mr Termini and his son has now broken out, with Mr Termini alleging that he has not received any of the money donated. Mr Rizzuto claims the donations were not for his father's personal use, adding that there are taxes and charges which must be covered.
Mr Termini set up a second GoFundMe page one month ago in a bid to help him gain Irish citizenship and buy a home in Co Mayo, from where he says his great-grandmother hailed.
His fundraiser, titled Uniting with Ireland, has a target of $100,200 (€93,930). The appeal has so far raised $125 from six donations, as of Sunday morning.
The GoFundMe chief executive Tim Cadogan told The Irish Times that he had been briefed on the dispute between Mr Termini and his son.
“Families are complicated,” he said. “This is true human nature so it happens, it’s not common, but it happens and you obviously take a step back and say listen we’ve done our job at this point and there’s not too much that we can do. I mean we’re not family therapists.”
Christy Burke, who is an independent councillor for Dublin north inner city where the alleged assault took place, said the “Irish are renowned for their willingness to donate to charities, but the issues around the first GoFundMe account should be dealt with first before another crowdfunding bid should be set-up”.
A trust and safety team forms part of GoFundMe's operations, aiming to ensure that any public donations are spent as intended, or else they are refunded.
