Earlier this week a video of a Georgia teen's family disowning him for being gay went viral. Now, a GoFundMe campaign has raised thousands of dollars in his name.
The BBC reports 19-year-old Daniel Pierce came out to his family last October and at the time he said they were supportive. But last week he was pulled aside for what he described as a "delayed intervention."
Pierce started recording partway through the incident and, while it doesn't show anyone's face, several members of his immediate family can be heard calling him a "disgrace" before the camera violently shakes as his stepmother allegedly punches him several times in the face.
Pierce did not sustain serious injuries and has been staying with friends since the incident.
And so, to help the newly-displaced teen get on his feet, a friend has started a GoFundMe page and, in two days, it has raised more than $90,000. Pierce said he will use the money for his living expenses and donate a portion of it to help people in situations like his.
Pierce told The Huffington Post he doesn't plan to press charges against his parents. They haven't spoken to him since the incident but left him a voicemail asking him to take down the video he posted, which he refused to do.
Pierce told WXIA: "It still happens. A lot of people don't realize that it happens. ... if one family maybe watches it and maybe changes their mind in how they are going to handle it about their son or daughter coming out, one family changes their mind and I will be happy."
Pierce plans to stay in his hometown of Kennesaw, Georgia and continue with classes at Georgia Highlands College.
