Grandmother of Oxford school shooting victim Madisyn Baldwin pleads for help on GoFundMe

Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press
·4 min read

The grandmother of Madisyn Baldwin has made a public plea on behalf of her family as they mourn the 17-year-old shot to death Tuesday at Oxford High School.

Baldwin was among four students killed in the Oakland County school shooting.

"Hello, my name is Jennifer and also known as GiGi to Madisyn.( My beautiful granddaughter). Today has been absolutely unbelievable for all involved," wrote Jennifer Graves Mosqueda in a public post on the online fundraising site GoFundMe.com.

"Im lost for words and no good at asking for help…however I’m reaching out to all of you…my friends, family and loved ones to help in anyway you can. This unbelievable tragedy could never be planned for or expected by any of us. My daughter and son-in-law would never ask for anything during this time, however I want them to be able to be with each other, their other children and family during this time without worrying about work, bills and arrangements."

Madisyn Baldwin, organized by Jennifer Graves Mosqueda

She added, "This beautiful, smart, sweet loving girl was tragically taken from us all today leaving a huge hole in all of our hearts and life’s ! This horrific day could never have been imagined ... Anything will help."

Posted around midnight Tuesday, the public has met and exceeded the set goal of $30,000. By 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, donations had reached $55,396 from 982 donors.

GoFundMe.com has verified the integrity of this account and its creator, a spokesperson told the Free Press.

A bouquet of roses sits on the sign outside of Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich. to show his support for the community after the school shooting at the school on Dec. 1, 2021.
A bouquet of roses sits on the sign outside of Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich. to show his support for the community after the school shooting at the school on Dec. 1, 2021.

A 15-year-old suspect was being held in the deaths of Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, and Justin Shilling, 17. Seven others were injured in the school shooting.

Bill Pulte steps in

A strong supporter of the effort is philanthropist Bill Pulte, a Detroit millionaire and grandson of the late founder of home-building PulteGroup. Known for activism on Twitter, he urged his 2.8 million followers on Wednesday to donate to the Baldwin family.

"Yesterday, a 15 year old with a gun shot and killed his classmates at Oxford High in Michigan," he tweeted. "One of the victims was this beautiful girl Madisyn. Her family is asking for help burying and other expenses."

Donations have poured in, ranging from $5 to multiple $1,000 gifts, along with kind words from friends, neighbors and strangers from afar:

  • Carissa Abazia donated $50 "My heart breaks for you. I’m sorry for your loss."

  • Steve Ghostley donated $20. "Sending all my love and prayers!! From Holly"

  • Nelson Rogers donated $100. "My wife (Beth, who teaches 5th grade at Pine Knob Elementary) and I extend our deepest sympathies."

  • June Zydek donated $20. "As a retired teacher, my heart is breaking. Love and prayers for your family and friends from Chesterfield, MI."

  • Terri Hibbard donated $100,."Cousin Wes and Jennifer, your pain is unimaginable. Praying the peace that surpasses all understanding for your entire family."

  • The Kosch Family donated $25. "Thoughts & prayers from your Lake Orion Neighbors during this difficult time."

  • Heather Hanrahan donated $20. "As a mother of 3 boys I am heartbroken for you and your family. Your beautiful granddaughter will not be forgotten."

Donation surge

Meanwhile, GoFundMe, the online fundraising group, is carefully monitoring the site.

"Just to confirm, we have verified this fundraiser in honor of Madisyn Baldwin that was started by her grandmother," said GoFundMe spokesperson Angelique Mcnaughton. "I would just like to say that our hearts absolutely go out to the entire Oxford community, as well as to the victims, their families and those who were injured, in addition to the first responders and those who have been impacted by this tragedy."

Oxford Strong signs are popping up in and around downtown Oxford, Mich. to show his support for the community after the school shooting at the school on Dec. 1, 2021.
Oxford Strong signs are popping up in and around downtown Oxford, Mich. to show his support for the community after the school shooting at the school on Dec. 1, 2021.

Her team is monitoring the platform for additional verified fundraisers of any other Oxford victims, she said. The key is to ensure that the money safely reaches the families.

GoFundMe notes that the site helped raise $136,000 to help victims of the San Bernardino shooting in California in 2015. There are at least nine fundraisers for victims of the Waukesha Parade tragedy of Nov. 21, 2021.

GoFundMe.com launched on Wednesday afternoon the Oxford High School shooting hub as a way for donors to identify fundraisers that have been verified by the Trust and Safety team. This GoFundMe hub will continue to be updated as new fundraisers are verified to support affected individuals and families.

More: What adults need to know, and how they can help after shootings like Oxford High School

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Oxford school shooting: Grandma of Madisyn Baldwin sets up GoFundMe