The grieving mother of a Perth fly-in fly-out worker, whose body was found after a 10-day search, has made a public plea following the creation of an unauthorised online fundraiser.
Family's Heartbreak Amid Unauthorised Fundraising
William Carter went missing on December 6 after his mother, Jenny O'Bryne, dropped him off at Perth Airport. The devastating search ended on Tuesday, December 16, when Western Australian police confirmed his body had been located.
Ms O'Bryne has now broken her family's silence to address a sensitive issue that has compounded their grief. She revealed that one or more GoFundMe pages have been established, seemingly without the family's knowledge or approval, to solicit public donations for funeral expenses.
"It has come to our attention that some GoFundMe pages have been set up, tacitly implying our consent to ask the public for money to donate to his funeral costs," Ms O'Bryne stated. She expressed deep concern that individuals claiming closeness to her son, known as Bill, would initiate such fundraising so soon after his tragic passing.
A Plea for Dignity and Privacy
The distraught mother emphasised that the family would never ask for public financial assistance during this time. She found it particularly troubling that online posts were created with the implication of family endorsement.
"As his mother, father and sister, we are totally saddened by this," she said. "Our focus is to treat our son with the quiet dignity that he held throughout his life."
Ms O'Bryne shared that her final memory with Bill was a happy one, having breakfast together and taking a selfie before she drove him to the airport on the day he disappeared. She has also released more recent photographs of her son, including one of him smiling on a beach, wanting these images to represent him online.
Gratitude and a Promise to Support Mental Health
Amidst the distress, the family extended heartfelt thanks to the Western Australian community and people further afield for their support during the search and the outpouring of love received.
Ms O'Bryne made a significant commitment regarding any funds that may have been raised without permission. She stated that if the decision is made to proceed with a burial, the family would ensure donations are refunded. Alternatively, they would direct any proceeds from such fundraising towards worthy mental health initiatives.
"The proceeds of this conduct goes to worthy mental health initiatives to really help those who suffer anxiety and depression and feel just so beaten down and trapped, with no way out," she explained. "As a family to those people with these struggles.....we hear you!"
The family's statement highlights the profound impact of the incident while redirecting focus towards supporting others facing mental health challenges.
