After both of his parents were slain in the assault, a two-year-old kid found bleeding and alone during the Highland Park shooting and rescued from beneath his dad, now an orphan.
Aiden McCarthy was separated from his mom, Irina McCarthy, and dad, Kevin McCarthy, amid the commotion of Monday’s incident.
Aiden was unhurt and was given to his grandparents, Misha and Nina Levebeg.
Aiden’s family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist them in ‘nurturing, caring for, and supporting’ him. As of Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, the account has raised $1.2 million.
An unnamed $10,000 pledge is the greatest donation in the recent several hours. The majority of the other major donors have similarly chosen to stay unidentified. More than 20,000 people have contributed to the page.
At least seven individuals were murdered and many more were wounded when 21-year-old gunman Robert Crimo started firing with an AR-15-style rifle on the Independence Day celebration.
Crimo was arrested with seven counts of first-degree murder on Tuesday evening, according to Lake County State Attorney Eric Rinehart. He stated that ‘dozens’ of further accusations would be filed, and that he expects to sentence Crimo to life in jail.
Aiden was protected by total strangers following the horrible incident, according to GoFundMe organiser Irina Colon.
She added that they got him to protection under horrid conditions, banded together to find his grandparents, and prayed for his family’s safety.
The North Shore community came together to aid a youngster they didn’t know anything about. Regrettably, she must reveal his identity… Aiden McCarthy needs further assistance.
She continued that Aiden is in the unfathomable situation of having to grow up without his parents.
Aiden has been entrusted in the care of his grandparents, Misha and Nina Levberg, according to Colon, but he still confronts a lengthy path to ‘recover, find stability, and eventually negotiate life as an orphan.’
She said that he is surrounded by a group of friends and extended relatives who will welcome him with love and will go to any length to guarantee he has all he requires as he develops.
She is starting this campaign on behalf of his family and with their consent to help him and the caregivers who will be entrusted with nurturing, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his support system begin on this unforeseen path.
Lauren Silva, 38, of Deerfield, and her boyfriend discovered Aiden after hearing gunshots while on their way to breakfast at Walker Bros.
Silva explained that they exited from a parking garage a few blocks away just as the gunfire occurred. They were just opening the door to walk up the stairs when they heard it…boom, boom, boom, bang, boom, boom, boom. And it seemed like someone was hammering on the glass doors.
Silva and her boyfriend, along with his kid, were sprinting toward the wounded when her boyfriend abruptly threw the small child into her arms.
She explained that her partner handed her this small child and told her he was beneath dad who had been shot in the leg. Because they were attempting to stop the bleeding, She moved the youngster downstairs into the garage.
She was able to wipe out his scratches and wash the blood off him once she got inside the garage. He was only wearing one shoe, and his sock was soaked in blood, according to her.
She explained that the little one kept asking whether mom and dad were coming back soon.
Silva emerged from the parking garage after 20 minutes to check on his dad. Aiden was turned over to a family she was hiding out in the garage with, who brought him to the hospital and ultimately gave him over to authorities. Finally, he was reconnected with his grandparents.
Dana Ruder Ring, who was caring for the kid until 8 p.m., uploaded the initial picture of the boy to assist locate him.
Silva, a mom of two, said she remembers the ‘kid’s face and touch and the sound of his voice.’
She explained she feels like she wants to cling on to a tiny piece of feeling that she feel—telling that kid that his father was going to return.
The shooter, Robert ‘Bobby’ Crimo, 21, has been apprehended and is facing charges.
He started firing with an AR-15 like rifle from a rooftop along the procession route just after 10 a.m. According to police, Crimo disguised himself as a lady and effortlessly slipped among the mob of anxious witnesses, escaping law enforcement.
He was apprehended around eight hours after the attack.
