Fundraising campaign for mosque shooting survivor surpasses $400,000 goal

Less than two months after its launch, a fundraising campaign has managed to surpass it goal and collect more than $410,000 for Aymen Derbali, one of the survivors of the Quebec City mosque shooting.

The 41-year-old crossed paths with the shooter who entered the Sainte-Foy mosque on Jan. 29, 2017, killing six men and injuring five others.

Derbali was the most seriously wounded. He was struck seven times and was plunged into an artificial coma for two months.

• 'This is a Canadian hero': Group launches campaign to help buy new home for mosque shooting victim
• Shot 7 times in Quebec City mosque attack, survivor fights to reclaim his life

When he woke up, he could no longer feel anything below his chest, making it impossible for him to live in the fourth-floor apartment he shares with his wife and two children.

DawaNet, a Canadian-Muslim non-profit community organization, launched afundraising campaignin December to help Derbali buy a wheelchair accessible home.

Tariq Syed is an executive member of the Dawanet team who helped co-ordinate the fundraiser.

Syed hadn't yet spoken to Derbali on Friday to share the good news, but said Derbalihas been overwhelmed by the response the campaign has received since its launch on Dec. 20.

"Every time I spoke to him he was emotional, imagining that he will be able to move into a house with his family where he will be able to spend the rest of his life," Syed said.

Derbalihas been called a herobecause he entered the mosque behind the shooterand chose not to turn away, trying instead to distract him tosave others.

"He's just one of these incredible people that you want to spend as much time as possible with,"said Syed.

"This is one person, his heart, his sweetness, who is just incomparable to anyone I have known."

Support from around the world

Syedsaid he was getting worried in the final daysof the campaign, set to close on Saturday, becauseit wasstill $10,000 short of its$400,000 goal.

But he said a last push from people on social media has allowed them to surpass it, reaching $410,000 by Friday evening.

"I was looking over it and I actually found a donation that was for $1, which is not much, but it really touched me," Syedsaid.

• How they lived: Families share memories of Quebec City mosque attack victims
• 'I'm not here by chance': One mosque shooting victim's journey of healing

As of Friday,more than 4,700 people had contributed to the campaign. Syedsaid he still needs to go through the exact numbers, but estimated up to700 sponsorswere from Quebec.

"It shows how people come together when there's a need for a fellow Canadian," he said.

Most donations came from within Canada but also asfar as Japan, Korea, Pakistan and Australia, he added.

Dawanet will close the campaign on the Launch Good platformand sort through administrative work, before coming to Quebec City to provide the money to Derbali.

Syed said Derbali had spotted a home near the Sainte-Foy mosque he liked and would like to move into, once he leaves the rehabilitation centre he has been living in for the past year.