WATCH: Zakai Zeigler discusses success of GoFundMe for family after Vols win
After donations blew the Zeigler family’s GoFundMe goal out of the water, Zakai Zeigler said he couldn’t believe it. The Tennessee freshman posted 13 points, six assists, five rebounds and a steal in the win over Arkansas on Saturday before discussing his reaction to the generosity.
“At first, I refreshed it like two or three times and then I just let it sit,” Zeigler said. “And somebody was like, ‘Have you seen it?’ I was like, ‘No.’ I looked back and I was like… what the … it’s at the goal already. I was not expecting it to be like that. My eyes just lit up.”
Starting with a goal of $50,000, donations exceeded that sum within 40 minutes. More than 5,600 people donated the $360,000+ total with several individuals, some anonymous, donating more than $2,000.
Zeigler family suffers home fire in New York
It was a really hard week for the Zeigler family after losing their belongings in an apartment fire in Long Island, New York. Zakai’s mother began traveling with the team and the young Vol set up a GoFundMe project with the hope of recouping their losses via charitable donations.
On top of losing their possessions, the family lost items that Zeigler’s mother, Charmane, says are critical to the care of his four-year-old nephew with special needs.
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After the fire, Rick Barnes discussed the toll the tragedy took on the young guard.
“When I saw him on Sunday, he looked like he hadn’t been in bed all night, and he actually said he was up until 5-6 in the morning,” Barnes said. “He loves his family, he loves his mom to death and his dad. They were there, they lost it all. And I asked him, ‘what about you?’ And he responded, ‘I’ve got what I have here.’ But he was obviously really concerned about his mother and the family.”
After surpassing the initial figure, Zeigler shared those additional donations beyond what the family needs will go towards charity.
“We have been absolutely blown away by the outpouring of support and generosity!” Zakai Zeigler wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Any contributions above and beyond our final losses/expenses will be donated to charity. Thank you to everyone who has given.”