I have a soft-spot for the OP and was one of the people to offer something but I really can't spare more than, well, a certain amount - DH and I have stopped accepting gifts from adults and won't be buying for each other until things improve. I thought perhaps it might be my gift to myself, helping someone in an even worse situation and that I could get him something later when possible.
For various reasons I didn't go ahead with the donation. So to be fair, it could be that many people had second thoughts / saw the way the thread was going / had to deal with DC etc and didn't contribute. Then again, we have many lurkers and readers who are members who may not "know" the OP that well and wouldn't have wanted to post about what they were sending because perhaps they are nervous to or simply because they are modest 
So what was on the thread and calculations made on the basis of the posts could be very inaccurate either way.
However, the damage is done to OP's reputation I think and as someone else pointed out, thousands of people read about what went on last night.
Totally agree that a no cash-donations guideline should be in place and enforced by HQ in the same way that journalists and advertisers are dealt with. Yes, people will still offer help but if HQ set an example then they are implicitly pointing out the dangers of such action which may jolt people into being more cautious.
A sticky thread to help people who are not in the frame of mind to help themselves is also a good idea.