The man who was looking after a young girl when she suddenly lost her entire family in a tragic crash has shared a major update on the child.
Back in July, an 11-year-old girl - who his being referred to just as Poppie to protect her identity - was orphaned when a car carrying her mother, father, and two little sisters was involved in a fatal collision with a motorbike in Yorkshire, England.
Shane Roller, Shannen Morgan, and two of their daughters Lillie and Rubie were heading out on a walk at the time of the crash while Poppie was at a friend's house. They all tragically died in the accident.
Additionally, the motorcyclist and passenger also died. They have been Christopher Barton, 56, and Janine Barton, 48, who had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, per Yahoo.
Paul Hepple, a family friend, had agreed to watch the young girl while her family was out.
They were just about to sit down for a Sunday dinner when they received the call notifying them of the tragic accident.
Paul started a GoFundMe page with further details about the incident.
"Dear friends, family, and compassionate strangers," he wrote in a statement. "We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and a plea for help. On 21st July 2024, a tragic car accident took the lives of Poppie's entire family—her loving mum, dad, and two little sisters. At just 11 years old, Poppie has lost her whole world in an instant."
"Poppie now faces an uncertain future," he continued. "With her immediate family gone, she needs support to ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow."
He then stated that the funds raised would be used for Poppie's living expenses, education, counseling, and future care.
So far, the fundraiser has managed to secure over £400,000 ($522,000) to help stabilize Poppie's life in the wake of the harrowing car crash.
He had previously stated that "every penny" raised "will go directly to Poppie’s new guardian, her auntie [Faye Morgan]. Poppie will be staying and living with her auntie, who is an amazing, loving, and capable guardian."
Now, in a new update, Paul said: "It has been 12 weeks since the heart-breaking loss of Poppie’s family and 8 weeks since my last update. I want to apologize for the silence — I wanted to keep things low-key while the family tries to grieve and navigate this heartbreaking tragedy, as well as for the funeral and other arrangements to take place."
He continued: "Thanks to your incredible generosity, an astonishing £408,207 [$533,485] has been raised. The initial target was £3,000 [$3,920] to help with Poppie’s immediate needs, and I never could have imagined the outpouring of love and support that followed.
"There have been 22.5 thousand donations from people all over the world. Donations are now closed, as the amount raised is far beyond what anyone could have expected. It’s truly remarkable," he said, before emphasizing that every single penny will be going into a trust fund for the orphan.
"Poppie is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. She has bravely returned to school and, although she was nervous at first, she is slowly settling in," the statement added.
"She is receiving therapy at school, which is helping her navigate her loss. Poppie and her Aunt, Faye, have also received invaluable support from Brake, the road safety charity, who have been instrumental in helping them manage the legal side of things and providing guidance," Paul concluded.
Police who were investigating the incident arrested a man on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving just days after, as per the Independent.
Our thoughts are with Poppie and the family's other loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
