The community has come together to support a young boy and his family following an incident at a local pool.
A GoFundMe campaign has eclipsed $29,000 in less than 24 hours of being open.
On Saturday, emergency services were called to Widnall Pool after lifeguards responded to a medical emergency involving a 13-year-old boy.
The child was transported to a local hospital for further care, before being transferred to a hospital in London, Ontario.
“(The young boy was) transferred from Thunder Bay to London, ON for specialized care along with his mom, Jennie,” said Ashley Smith on the fundraising page. “To ease the hardship of this unanticipated family emergency, I am asking for the community’s support to offset travel costs and expenses that occur receiving medical treatment away from home.”
So far over 500 people have donated.
Details on what occurred at the pool have not been released but two separate investigations are underway.
“An internal debrief and investigation will also take place to ensure that all aspects of the incident are fully understood and addressed,” said the city in a release. “Supervisors and staff involved in the rescue are also receiving the necessary support and debriefing to help them process the emergency situation.”
The Thunder Bay Police Service’s Major Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Unit have become involved in the ongoing investigation.
“While the public concern generated by this incident is understood, speculation that has emerged online has the potential to interfere with the investigation,” said the Thunder Bay Police Service in a release. “Investigators have been working diligently to conduct a fair and thorough investigation, which includes speaking to several witnesses and documenting the scene.”
The pool was re-opened on Monday, after being closed on Sunday.
The GoFundMe campaign can be found here.
