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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder why there has STILL been no donation?

999 replies

kewtogetin · 29/03/2015 20:05

This has probably been done, I know there was a long running thread about this very subject but I can't find it?
So, several months on I see Dax's parents have still not made the promised donation to Ronald McDonald hospice. On March 2nd they updated the Facebook page to say they works be making the donation 'very soon', but still nothing.
Am I the only one thinking they have no intention of donating any money out of the tens of thousands donated to them? That in fact they intend to keep it all and deny the very charity that provided them with so much support in the early weeks of their Childs life?
In fact, I don't think im the only one judging by the comments on the Facebook page.
I think they're hoping it will blow over and if they keep quiet long enough people will forget.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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trufflesnout · 10/04/2015 11:27

I see your point Still, it is just likely to go round in circles. But following this revival of the thread we've had some actual interaction with whoever is behind it, fewer comments are being deleted from their page, and they know they can't just spin their story how they want to because cached copies of their pages are available.

It's not fair, imo, that they should be able to get away with this because we shouldn't be fussed. They've been changing their story from day 1 - but it seems the one consistent ploy to get people to cough up was that any excess would go to charity. It's hardly asking too much.

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 10/04/2015 11:27

the google link shows
Parents stranded in New York after birth of 3lb baby boy Dax ...
www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Parents-stranded-New...Dax/.../story.html
2 Jan 2015 - Katie Amos and Lee Johnston welcomed Dax Lee Johnston into the ... all excess money will be donated to the Ronald Mcdonald Foundation to ...

www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Parents-stranded-New-York-birth-3lb-baby-boy-Dax/story-25798316-detail/story.html

JoanHickson · 10/04/2015 11:31

I tried to find @johnstondax on twitter and it's suspended, or I made an error?

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 10/04/2015 11:34

twitter.com/johnstondax

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 10/04/2015 11:36

its really sad this, that this couple/family could have used this as an opportunity to raise awareness of pre births etc, and instead their experience is tainted now with this fraud

personally i think it started with good intentions, and then they got carried away, i dont blame them for that, it would take a strong person not to, but they have been 'caught' and there is no way out without doing the (very late promised) donation

GettingSaggyWithIt · 10/04/2015 11:49

The FBI?
What would FBI pig do?

shewept · 10/04/2015 11:50

I didn't say you had to ask, though. You keep telling us talking about is pointless. I am telling you 'and what, you don't have to be part of it'

No its not real life, obviously, but the principle still apply. We are having a conversation. Anyone who wants to be involved, can be. And their points will be answered, as I have answered your points. I am suggesting if you think its pointless, then don't read it. You don't have to be part of it nor you do you get to decided which threads are pointless.

shewept · 10/04/2015 11:54

I think people are suggesting the fbi, because they (I assume) handle fraud cases in the US and the Charity is based in the a US.

yallahabibi · 10/04/2015 12:33

Well I pity the next Brit in trouble in NYC because when the US gets a whiff of the possible fraud ,citizens aren't going to be quite so kind. Apparently there were lots of donations of both money and gifts from people and companies in NY. GIves the UK a really poor image Angry Sad

scumbuster2 · 10/04/2015 13:08

stillstayingclassysandiego,
what right do you have to tell people what they should or should not discuss. if you don't want to see what's being written walk away it really is that simple. This types of scams need looking into and the more people that are talking about the more attention scams like this recieve, some people are that naive and will donate without any alarms bells ringing just because there's a sob story attached which can and do pull on people's heart strings. it is morally wrong to deceive anyone like that. we will continue to make people aware of potential scams and if that bothers you then don't read it!

shirleybasseyslovechild · 10/04/2015 13:42

blimey. the stuff you learn on mumsnet

albertcamus · 10/04/2015 14:14

I see it boiling down to this :

  • the donors were kind, caring folk who were moved by the story/pictures, they'd not be motivated to reclaim their donations
  • many from the US apologised for their medical system & the initial worry the parents claimed they had
  • other donors eg from Spain just love babies & wanted Dax to benefit, no matter what
  • it seems to be a 'grey area' whether law/s have been broken : law enforcement/civil agencies prob feel they have bigger fish to fry
  • the impact on Dax in the future can't be quantified, the genie's out of the bottle and that poor scrap will have to live with his parents' actions (this is making some posters urge an end to the debate)
  • the parents are quite possibly bring manipulated by their cynical, more wordly' 'bosses' and dare not try to get themselves out of this mess
  • the UK media have not helped by jumping in with gushing, sentimental coverage eg the This Morning interview
  • the UK's 'bad boy/girl' celeb culture is a lure to Lee who has been led to think that he'll end up on BB/in the Jungle

I think the critics of this thread are missing a point about free speech in the UK

shirleybasseyslovechild · 10/04/2015 14:21

oh dear.
what struck me most about the interview was the interviewers.
The dad has a speech impediment -a lateral lisp. Difficult, but possible to overcome with speech therapy. It's not kind to mock him for this.
The interviewers were dreadful

" so you was 6 mumpfs pregnant ? "

hope baby is doing well and they give back the cash

JoanHickson · 10/04/2015 14:27

I wonder why ITV do not train presenters to speak nicely. Regional accents are nice to hear. Regional accents should be clear though, months , using your example.

I am not the best at grammar, it isn't helpful for the public to be exposed to 'was' instead of 'were' , you expect that slang on TOWIE not on TM.

Andylion · 10/04/2015 15:12

Does anyone have a link to the interview?

shewept · 10/04/2015 16:34

I haven't seen the interview and haven't heard the term lateral lisp before. So can't comment on that. I don't particularly want to see them on TV either.

LilMissSunshine9 · 10/04/2015 16:48

StillStayingClassySanDiego - I was one of those who keep posting on the Dax's page asking Richard to update the fundraising page once it was confirmed the insurance was paying up. I eventually got blocked for trying to advise someone to do the right thing. A number of other people also kept on making similar suggestions and in the end what it did do was ensure the fundraising was stopped. So to be fair starting threads like this or posting comments on facebook does sometimes help and I am sure if people keep asking where the donation is then it will eventually ensure that it happens.

They would love nothing more than for people to just forget about it so they can spend it on whatever. Shameful that in their time of need there was a charity like RMH who stepped in to help selflessly and yet upon raising £8k (this was the amount raised on gofundme before it was confirmed insurance was paying) instead of saying thanks guys insurance has confirmed they are paying we don't need any money so we are stopping the fundraising and donating the amount raised to RMH - no they carried on until they were forced to update the gofundme page. If you wanted to be totally transparent you would of closed down the original gofundme page and then started a new one which then informed people that money was going towards rent etc.

RebootYourEngine · 10/04/2015 18:59

Exactly LilMiss- instead of owning up & being completely honest they started off saying that it was for medical bills, then that was changed to living costs & expenses and then they tried to say that it was never for medical bills.

Meanwhile a charity who does fantastic work goes without.

GettingSaggyWithIt · 10/04/2015 21:44

And it wasn't 8k, it ended up being 12k and an unknown amount possibly up to 5k by paypal. 17 grand is a helluva lot of cash to get through and none of it has been accounted for. As for 2 grand having being an estimate for a breast pump as an example, words bloody fail me.

leccybill · 10/04/2015 21:46

Where did all this £2k breast pump business come from anyway? Think I missed this part of the story. Are they not about £40?

GraysAnalogy · 10/04/2015 21:46

Yeh leccy but Dicky reckoned they were £1000

shewept · 10/04/2015 21:53

leccy tricky dicky, who set up the original go fund me listed 2k for breast pump, specially designed for prem babies.

People pointed out they don't cost near that and it would probably provided at the hospital at the insurance companies expense, which it was. No one could figure out where he plucked the figure from.

DragonWithAGirlTattoo · 10/04/2015 22:09

it was a bout £2k for a 'booby sucker" - anyone got the screen shot? - oh hang on - heres one

To wonder why there has STILL been no donation?
leccybill · 10/04/2015 22:13

Yikes, that's pretty horrific.
I think Tricky should stick to third person narrative. Poor Dax will be able to access and read this shit in about 5 or so years, you know.

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