A fundraising effort for Alexandria shooting victim Matt Mika has collected more than $20,000 to help cover his medical expenses.
“Although Matt has been incredibly strong, the road to recovery is going to be long and will require not only love and prayers, but also financial support from friends, family, the Washington DC community, and beyond,” the page on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe said.
A spokesman for Mika’s family says the page was started by friends of his in the DC area.
The organizers of the page met the fundraising goal of $20,000 within two days, causing them to update the page Monday afternoon with a new goal of $30,000, and a pledge that any excess contributions would go to a charity of Mika’s choosing.
Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods, was one of four people shot Wednesday morning after a lone gunman opened fire on the Republican team practice for the Congressional Baseball Game last week. Mika is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing multiple surgeries, the family said in a statement Saturday. Mika was even able to sign a baseball for the game Thursday night.
Majority Whip Steve Scalise was also shot and remains at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where Dr. Jack Sava said an “an excellent recovery is a good possibility.” Congressional aide Zach Barth and US Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner were also shot in the Wednesday morning incident; Capitol Police officer David Bailey and Texas Rep. Roger Williams were injured during the attack.
