NASHVILLE, Tenn. – WKRN News 2 reports a Robertson County family is livid after discovering a fake GoFundMe page using their little boy’s hospital photo.
Michael Sloan nearly drowned last summer and is now making remarkable progress with severe brain damage, but a family friend ran across Michael’s image on the fundraising site GoFundMe – and the story didn’t add up.
Doctors didn’t think 7-year-old Michael Sloan was going to make it after he had sunk to the bottom of the pool, not breathing.
Now, Michael’s dad, P.J. Sloan, tells News 2 he’s improving. “Basically he’s starting from total scratch as if he was a baby,” he said.
They have shared Michael’s story on Facebook and on their legitimate GoFundMe page, but a new one popped up recently.
“I got a message online that had a link to a GoFundMe page,” said Sloan. “They actually made up their own bogus story and just used his picture as shock so everybody says ‘oh my God look at this poor kid’.”
The person had also created a Facebook page with even more photos of Michael in the hospital.
“I had no idea who this person was. Never heard of him in my life, and it kind of infuriated me,” said Sloan.
Both accounts are now disabled after being reported. The page only raised about $20, but Sloan hopes others are cautious before donating.
“Do your research and make sure it’s legitimate before you spend your own hard earned money,” he advised.
Sloan told News 2 they support they received from friends, family and strangers has been overwhelming and needed as they had to buy a special van, re-do their floors and build a wheelchair ramp.
Michael has a walker on the way, which means he will soon start trying to walk.