The mother of British teenager Jay Slater, who was tragically found dead while on holiday in Tenerife, has made a heartfelt plea for further donations to ensure he receives a fitting farewell.
In a statement released on Thursday, Debbie Duncan urged people to “continue to share and support our fundraiser in any way you can.”
The ‘Get Jay Slater Home’ GoFundMe page was established shortly after his disappearance to assist with the family’s travel and accommodation costs as they remained on the island to search for him. To date, it has accumulated over £59,000.
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Earlier this week, local authorities confirmed that the body discovered by rescue teams near the village of Masca was indeed that of the 19-year-old.
Jay had attended a music festival in the southern resort of Playa de las Americas on 16 June and had been given a ride to the Masca area. The following morning, he contacted his friend Lucy Law, stating he was lost, in need of water, and that his phone battery was critically low at 1%. He mentioned his intention to walk back to his holiday accommodation in Los Cristianos, an arduous journey of approximately 11 hours.
After he was reported missing, a comprehensive search operation ensued around Masca, involving Mr. Slater’s family, friends, and local volunteers.
The high-profile nature of his disappearance drew strangers to the island to aid in the search, including TikTok star Callum Fahim.
Following the confirmation of Jay’s identity on Tuesday, Ms. Duncan expressed the family’s profound sorrow, saying their “hearts are broken” and that she “can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy.”
In her most recent statement, she conveyed: “Hello everyone, thank you for all of your kindness, support, and condolences in light of the tragic news that Jay’s body has been found. We are overwhelmed with grief and are so grateful for your support.
“The wonderful team from the Netherlands, Signi Zoekhondon, have stayed in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found. They are due to fly home in the coming days, and we are so appreciative of their dedication and support.
“We would like to thank LBT Global for their support during this impossible time. We are working with agencies to arrange Jay’s repatriation to the UK, and the remaining funds, along with any future donations, will be used to help with this if needed and to cover Jay’s funeral costs back home.
“We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves, so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.”
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