Fundraiser for stabbing victim Declan Laverty’s family goes viral

Close friends of Bentley Park woman Samara Laverty, who lost her 20-year-old son in an alleged stabbing in a Darwin bottle shop, rallied with a fundraiser but they never expected it to skyrocket, with messages of condolence pouring in.

A FUNDRAISER to assist devastated Cairns mother Samara Laverty in the wake of her son Declan’s alleged stabbing death has rapidly raised more than $24,000.

Ms Laverty’s friends Nicole Taylor and Anton Tiomkin started the GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs and soon realised Ms Laverty would benefit from financial support in coming months.

Declan Laverty, 20, died while working in the Airport Tavern bottle shop on March 19.

Declan Laverty, 20, from Cairns, was working in a bottle shop in Darwin on Sunday March 19 when he allegedly refused service to a man and was fatally stabbed.

Keith Kerinauia, 19, faced Darwin Local Court on March 21 charged with murder as well as aggravated robbery and breach of bail.

Ms Taylor said she had been close friends with Ms Laverty for several years.

“She texted me saying ‘I just got a text, he’s been stabbed’ and 15 minutes later I got a text saying ‘he’s dead’,” Ms Taylor said.

Thousands of demonstrators rallied at the Northern Territory Parliament House against violent crime in the wake of the alleged murder of Declan Laverty last weekend. Picture: PEMA TAMANG Pakhrin

“Anton and I were trying to think of a way to help, both feeling really helpless, no idea what to say, what to do,” she said.

“Samara is unable to work at the moment, she’s got to support her daughter Bridget, there are ongoing costs I have no idea about, she’s already sought legal advice,” Ms Taylor said.

Ms Laverty worked for 25 years with QAS as a paramedic and has recently qualified to be a physician’s assistant.

“The fundraiser went viral very fast, within 30 hours $20,000 had been donated, it was absolutely insane, I really didn’t think that was going to happen.

“There was so much support from the community, especially Darwin, even people from Canberra, everybody really wanted to help.

Thousands of demonstrators rallied against violent crime in the wake of the alleged murder of Declan Laverty. Picture: PEMA TAMANG Pakhrin

“It was very, very overwhelming, there were donations every few seconds.”

“Declan had just turned 20 on February 10, he was just at work, doing his job.

“He was just a young boy making an honest living and nobody ever would have thought that he wouldn’t return home,” Ms Taylor said.

Mr Laverty’s death prompted a review of Northern Territory police powers and bail laws, and more than 2000 people marched on the territory’s Parliament House.

Declan Laverty’s funeral is scheduled for 1.30pm on Friday at Heritage Brady in Gordonvale.

Originally published as Fundraiser for stabbing victim Declan Laverty’s family goes viral