Fundraiser for families of Humboldt tragedy reaches goal of $4M in 45 hours

A fundraiser organized for the families of the Humboldt junior hockey team tragedy had a goal of raising $4 million.

It was reached in 45 hours.

"There are no words that could express the incredible support the hockey community has seen here," wrote Sylvie Kellington, a woman from Humboldt whose son played for the youth version of the team and who posted the fundraiser on the GoFundMe website on Friday night. "Almost 60,000 people from almost 60 countries around the world have heard our story and were moved to help."

According to the GoFundMe page, "Money will go directly to families to help with any expenses incurred."

Large donations came in from sports teams, including $20,000 from the Pittsburgh Penguins players, staff and foundation, $10,000 from the Calgary Flames and a junior hockey team in Calgary called the Hitmen, $10,000 from the Toronto Maple Leafs and $10,000 from the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association. Los Angeles Kings defensive Dion Phaneuf was also listed on the site as having donated $10,000.

In less than two days, the fundraising campaign is "the largest campaign to date in Canada and is now one of GoFundMe's top five largest campaigns globally," GoFundMe Canada spokesperson Rachel Hollis said.

The fundraising site, which has raised more than $5 billion to date, oversaw more than $11 million raised for the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year and nearly $8 million for victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016.

The Humboldt fundraiser had reached nearly $4.2 million as of 8:35pm ET Sunday.

Fifteen people died Friday when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos crashed into a truck in Saskatchewan. Fourteen people were injured. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau flew to the hospital Sunday to visit the injured before heading to the city of Humboldt for a vigil.