Nursing student injured while trying to help in Danforth shooting hailed as ‘selfless, compassionate’

A Good Samaritan who was injured while trying to help during the Danforth shooting on Sunday may never walk again, her boyfriend says.

Danielle Kane and her boyfriend Jerry Pinksen were taking a friend out to celebrate a birthday at 7Numbers restaurant on Danforth Avenue when they heard shots fired.

“Danielle is such a selfless individual. She would’ve gone out anyway even if I told her to stay in the building,” Pinksen said. “She was coming out. She was right behind me to help. She’s such a compassionate, selfless and brave woman that she wanted to help just as much as I did.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Danielle is such a selfless individual. She would've gone out anyway even if I told her to stay in the building," Pinksen said. "She was coming out. She was right behind me to help. She's such a compassionate, selfless and brave woman that she wanted to help just as much as I did."

Pinksen, who is an ER nurse himself, told Global News he rushed outside to help when they heard a woman had been injured.

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Unbeknownst to him, Kane followed.

“I just remember looking back again because I heard like a click or a noise, I can’t remember whether it was a reloading of a weapon. But I looked back and all I remember is him putting his arms up very quickly towards our direction and then bullets start flying at us,” he described.

WATCH: Couple caught in line of fire trying to help Danforth shooting victim

Click to play video: 'Couple caught in line of fire trying to help Danforth shooting victim'

2:35 Couple caught in line of fire trying to help Danforth shooting victim

“I just ducked down and then it was like six or eight bullets and I heard Danielle scream … I jumped up and I rushed to her.”

He said Kane was shot just as she was coming outside to help. After pulling her inside the building, Pinksen said his training kicked in.

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“I just became really emotional and I just started feeling grief and guilt rush over me. But then I thought to myself, ‘No. I have to be a nurse now. I have to. I have to be here for Danielle. I have to.’”

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Boyfriend of victim gives emotional account of Danforth shooting

5:37 Boyfriend of victim gives emotional account of Danforth shooting

Paramedics and police arrived and took her to the hospital, where she’s had three surgeries with another scheduled for Friday.

The bullet hit her spinal cord and punctured her stomach and diaphragm. She’s expected to survive, but Pinksen said they don’t know if she’ll be able to walk again.

She’s still unconscious, but Pinksen said the messages of support he and her family have received will help give her the motivation to recover when she wakes up.

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Nursing student Danielle Kane was injured during the Danforth shooting. Courtesy Jerry Pinksen

“People have been overwhelming with the kind words and the support for Danforth strong,” he said. “It’s been lovely to read the messages — and the support of people, past people who’ve known Dani, people who know me, and people who don’t even know her, just kind strangers who want to help.”

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1:10 ‘We want to keep Toronto lovely’: Kids attend Danforth shooting memorial

An online fundraiser for Kane has already raised nearly $80,000 to help with her recovery. Gofundme officials say the page has been verified.

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“Dani’s life has been changed forever” the Gofundme website reads “She will require new housing, months or years of rehabilitation and specialized care.”

“Dani has always been a generous person and now, she needs to rely on the generosity of others.”

Pinksen said Kane’s kindness is what drew him to her initially.

COMMENTARY: Get to know your neighbour — and your ‘hood

“People should know how loving and compassionate this person is. She doesn’t care where you’re from, what background you’re from. She wants to help anyone, no matter your sexual orientation, your gender, your race, your religion, she wants to help,” he said.

“That’s the kind of person she is. She wanted to help those people. And she’s so selfless that she doesn’t want any recognition. That’s why I want to be here to speak about how beautiful a person she is, how much I love her, and how much I think the world should too.”

A 10-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman died and 12 others were injured when gunman Faisal Hussain opened fire Sunday night. Hussain was found with a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound after a confrontation with police not long after the incident.