GoFundMe campaign for girl who died in N.S. farming incident relaunches

A GoFundMe first started Thursday to raise money to help the family of a seven-year-old girl who died as a result of a farming incident in Nova Scotia has been restarted, prompted by calls from the public.

“Many still want to donate but have not had the chance, including the first responders who attended to the accident scene,” the latest update on the campaign page reads.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Many still want to donate but have not had the chance, including the first responders who attended to the accident scene," the latest update on the campaign page reads.

The campaign was started on Thursday by Olivia Polk and her father Ken, who are relatives of the family.

READ MORE: GoFundMe campaign launched for 7-year-old who died in N.S. farming incident

In the campaign’s first post, the seven-year-old victim was identified as Sia Van Wyck of Kennebunk, Maine.

Polk told Global News in an interview that the fund was started because “at a time like this you just want to help.”

“We learned that Sia’s parents could be facing medical and related expenses because they live in the U.S. and are not covered by the Canadian system,” he said.

On July 19 at approximately 6:50 p.m. the young girl was struck by a combine and sustained critical injuries in the Clementsvale, N.S., area.

At the time, the girl was playing in the hayfield the combine was harvesting. The combine operator did not see her because the hay was approximately three feet high.

READ MORE: N.S. RCMP say 7-year-old who lost leg after incident with farming combine has died

She was transported by ambulance to a local medical clinic before being taken by LifeFlight to IWK Hospital. She died in the early evening of July 20.

The GoFundMe page says she had been visiting relatives in the area when the incident happened.

Polk said the family is aware of the campaign that was started but said they don’t expect them to focus on the campaign “so soon after their terrible loss.”

On Saturday, the fund had raised almost $8,500, something Polk said they are thankful for.

“We are totally overwhelmed by the response,” he said. “Eighty-five hundred in less than two days. That’s amazing. People are so generous.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We are totally overwhelmed by the response," he said. "Eighty-five hundred in less than two days. That's amazing. People are so generous."

READ MORE: 7-year-old loses leg after incident with farming combine, now in stable condition: police

That same day, Polk said it was decided to end the campaign as they learned of another campaign taking place in the U.S. which had raised more than $20,000 — the Polks’ campaign had set a goal of $20,000 to $25,000.

He said because the combined total of both campaigns, as well as offline efforts he learned were taking place in the Clementsvale — where the accident happened — and Digby areas, would exceed their original goal, they didn’t want to continue.

“We did not want to have people continue to contribute to ours when there may no longer be a need.”

But on Monday they re-opened the campaign, responding to multiple requests from people who still wanted to donate.

The campaign’s goal, now called a “compassion fund,” remains at $25,000 and has raised just over $8,700. The description says the funding is for use by the family “as they see fit.”