Double the goal amount fundraised for Canadian who died in Dominican Republic
A fundraiser for a Canadian tourist who died in the Dominican Republic has raised double its goal.
Dominican Republic officials confirmed with several news outlets that Dorian Christian MacDonald was found dead, washed ashore on a beach in Puerto Plata in the early hours of Friday, June 20.
The country’s civil defence agency told news organizations that the 33-year-old had been staying at a hotel in Maimon Bay, a resort town in Puerto Plata.
Authorities state that the Canadian tourist had been walking on the beach at 2 a.m. local time on June 20. After receiving a call about a missing person, the Dominican Republic civil defence agency and first responders rushed to the scene. They found MacDonald’s body in the water during high tide at 4:15 a.m.
Global Affairs Canada told Daily Hive on Wednesday that it is “aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic.”
The agency adds that consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are providing assistance to the family.
“Due to privacy considerations, no further information may be disclosed,” stated a spokesperson.
Tara McKenzie, who says she’s a close friend of MacDonald’s, created a GoFundMe on June 26 on behalf of his family to raise money to help bring his body home.
GoFundMe
According to the fundraiser, the Canadian tourist “died suddenly in a drowning accident” while vacationing in the Dominican Republic.
“The painful reality is now facing the unthinkable task of trying to bring him back to Nova Scotia in a timely manner—to his mom, his sisters, his family, his people,” wrote McKenzie.
“The process of repatriating someone from another country is a slow, expensive, and deeply complicated situation that I would wish on no one.”
McKenzie says that between flights, international paperwork, funeral coordination, preparation of his body, and all of the red tape, the family is looking at a $10,000 to $20,000 price tag to get MacDonald’s body back home to Nova Scotia.
Their goal was to raise $20,000, but they surpassed that just a day after the GoFundMe went live.
“Thank you all again so much for reaching out your arms to selflessly help lighten the load.
I just know Dorian is smiling so big right now,” wrote McKenzie in an update on June 27.
As of Wednesday, July 2, they have raised more than $40,000.
In May, a Canadian tourist was found dead after going swimming at a beach in Mexico. A fundraiser has also been set up for Braydon Bretzer. As of Wednesday, the GoFundMe is just shy of its $40,000 goal at $37,086.