Strangers Raised Over $127,000 for Buffalo Woman Who Saved a
- A Buffalo woman named Sha’Kyra Aughtry rescued a disabled man from the blizzard on Christmas.
- The man’s coworker has since set up a GoFundMe page to thank Aughtry.
- Strangers have flooded the page with donations, raising over $127,000 for her so far.
A Buffalo woman saved a stranger’s life during the deadly Christmas blizzard, and now, thousands of strangers have come together to thank her for her kindness.
On December 25, Sha’Kyra Aughtry posted a video on Facebook pleading for help. The day before, she had found a man screaming for help on the street and decided to take him into her home. The man — who has been identified as Joe White — was injured, but emergency services were unable to get to him because of the blizzard conditions.
After two days, White, who has special needs, was finally sent to ECMC Hospital in Buffalo for treatment.
“It was very devastating and heartbreaking to even see someone so helpless, who just needed some help,” Aughtry told CNN on December 28.
White’s coworker, Chris Dearing, went on to set up a GoFundMe page for Aughtry to thank her for feeding, bathing, and tending to his friend’s injuries.
“Without her generous spirit and fierce determination to get Joe help, my friend would be dead,” Dearing wrote. “Sha’Kyra did all of this without any thought of reward, but she deserves one, and so does her family.”
Dearing set a goal of raising $20,000 for Aughtry. But, as of December 29, thousands of strangers have raised more than $127,000 for the mother of three, with many saying they were touched by Aughtry’s kindness.
Over 4,300 people have donated to Aughtry’s GoFundMe page to date, and almost 300 have left comments for her. The top donation, which was made by an anonymous donor, amounted to $5,000.
Several people on the GoFundMe page expressed their admiration for Aughtry.
“You’ve sent hope across the world by helping Joe. You gave us a glimpse at an angel,” a donor named Stephanie Mingo wrote.
A donor named Sarah Dorger wrote that Aughtry showed her children the true meaning of “love your neighbor.”
Francesca Bill, who also donated to the page, commended Aughtry’s generous spirit.
“You are a heart-filled class act,” Bill wrote. “Your sons are lucky to have a mother who embodies kindness. Thank you.”
White’s sister, Yvonne, also expressed her appreciation to Aughtry. “We gained a family. I’m looking at my sister, I’m looking at Trent who’s my brother,” Yvonne told CNN, referring to Aughtry’s boyfriend, who helped rescue White. “This woman, what she did, above and beyond for a stranger,” she added.
Dearing has also set up a GoFundMe page for White’s medical bills, which has raised over $67,000 — far exceeding its goal of raising $20,000. More than 2,300 people have donated to the page as of December 29.
“We’ve seen a huge outpouring of support for Joe and Sha’Kyra, and we’re incredibly inspired by their story,” a GoFundMe representative told Insider in a statement.
Aughtry did not respond to Insider’s requests for comment.