Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

'They need it more than I do:' 7-year-old donates savings for Hurricane Ian victims

Share

A seven-year-old American boy donated his piggy bank savings to Hurricane Ian relief efforts in Florida after learning about the storm’s devastating impact.

Dominic D'Andrea told Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel that he had been saving up for a “Corvette or an electric scooter,†but hurricane victims need the money more than he does.

According to D’Andrea’s mother, Jacyln, it started when Dominic wanted to know why she was upset during a car ride on Wednesday. After she explained about the hurricane, when they got home he promptly retrieved his piggy bank.

“I kind of knew where his little mind was going because we had just had the conversation in the car,†she said in an interview Sunday.

She posted a that was a snapshot in time of Dominic’s initial reaction to wanting to donate his money, which quickly garnered popularity on the site.

“I decided to record it (so that) my husband can see the actual … reaction of what he was saying to me,†Jacyln said, explaining, “the whole reason why I posted is just a proud mom moment for my family and friends to see it.â€

Inspired by Dominic’s generosity, and seeded by the donation of his US$280 piggy-bank savings, his parents are now in the midst of a fundraising effort to buy supplies they plan to drive to hard-hit Fort Myers Fla., on Wednesday.

According to Jacyln, they are raising money to buy basic sanitary products, mattresses, and gas tins they plan to transport in a rental truck this week.

The death toll from the storm, one of the strongest hurricanes by wind speed to ever hit the U.S., grew to more than four dozen, with 47 deaths confirmed in Florida, four in North Carolina and three deaths in Cuba.

The storm washed out bridges and piers, tossed boats into buildings onshore, shorn roofs off homes, and left hundreds of thousands without power, the Associated Press reported.

“They might have nothing,†Dominic said in the TikTok video. “So, I’m giving them my whole piggy bank jar.â€

With files from The Associated Press 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.