Oswaldtwistle: Jay Slater's family stop donations on fundraiser after Tenerife death
Jay Slater's family expressed that they have "lost our wonderful son under very heartbreaking circumstances."
The family of British teen Jay Slater, who passed away during a vacation in Tenerife, has closed the fundraising page that was created following his disappearance.
A 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, tragically died after falling while trying to navigate a mountainous region on June 17.
His vanishing prompted a significant search effort by Spanish officials and garnered extensive media attention until his remains were discovered a month later.
Debbie Duncan, Mr. Slater’s mother, made an announcement on the Gofundme page, which has gathered £72,821, stating: "This will be the last message, and donations will no longer be accepted."
She mentioned, "We still have a long way to go, but your support has made things a bit easier."
Ms. Duncan explained that the money had been spent on their travel and accommodation in Tenerife while they waited to bring her son's body back to the UK.
"We secured funding for the Signi search team from the Netherlands, who provided invaluable support during the days when Jay was discovered," she stated.
Approximately 500 people gathered for his funeral in August. Ms. Duncan expressed, "Jay really deserved the farewell we were able to provide, and we appreciate everyone for being a part of it."
The vanishing of Jay Slater led to a search that lasted an entire month in the Rural de Teno national park.
Mr. Slater, who was training as a bricklayer apprentice, took his very first trip overseas on his own to go to the NRG music festival in the popular tourist destination of Playa de las Americas in June.
He then went on a trip with two guys he met at the gathering, who took him to their Airbnb located in the Rural de Teno national park.
Spanish police interviewed both men, but determined that they had no significance to the investigation regarding Mr. Slater's disappearance.
On the morning of June 17, the young person departed from their place of stay and wandered for approximately thirty minutes. During that time, they contacted a friend to express that they were lost, thirsty, and that their phone battery was nearly dead at just 1%.
An autopsy later showed that his body had injuries typical of someone who has fallen from a height onto a rocky surface.
Approximately 500 individuals gathered for Mr. Slater's funeral in August.
Ms. Duncan expressed, "We tragically lost our wonderful son in a heartbreaking situation, all while the world looked on."
"We cannot fathom how Jay's story managed to touch people all around the world."
The mysterious vanishing of Mr. Slater sparked a flurry of rumors and conspiracy theories, leading to his family and friends facing online harassment as well.
While the funeral service wasn't streamed live, numerous social media accounts provided access to a fake stream, asking for likes and money as part of a scam.
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