O'LEARY CRASH: Family of American killed raising funds for Uxbridge victim's kids
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The family of an American man killed in the tragic boating collision involving Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary is raising money for the education of three young Uxbridge children whose mother also died as a result of the crash.
“Although we never got to meet her, we are told that Suzana (Brito) and my father became fast friends while enjoying the beauty of (the) lake,” reads part of the message posted by Alex Poltash on the GoFundMe page. His father, Gary Poltash, died instantly in the late-night Aug. 24 crash on Lake Joseph.
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“Gary (Poltash) was a true believer in the power of education, and thus we thought it appropriate to create this for the benefit of Suzana’s children.”
Poltash’s family is looking to raise US$15,000 for the post-secondary education of 48-year-old Brito’s three children, Liam, 12, Ruby, 11, and Cash, 9, in a “wish that the legacy of our father live on.” As of Thursday morning, $4,340 had been raised in the first two days of the fundraiser, with the Poltash family making the first contribution of $1,000.
“Join us in celebrating my father’s life,” Gary’s daughter, Allison Poltash, wrote in an Instagram post. “To honour his legacy and value of education, we have created a GoFundMe to support the three children of Suzana Brito, who tragically passed away in the same accident as my dad.”
Gary Poltash, 64, was a chartered accountant who had retired to Belleair Beach, a community near Clearwater, Fla.
A longtime friend of Brito told the Toronto Sun “her kids were her life.”
“It sounds like a cliche, but nobody would ever have anything negative to say about her,” Holly Canivet said. “Many, many people have been devastated by this.”
The funeral for Brito was held last Saturday. A service will be held for Poltash on Saturday in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.
Poltash’s brother, Larry Poltash, told the Sun their family is looking for answers about how the accident happened. The OPP are still investigating and have made no indication when they will wrap up, but an expert on the OPP says it may be “weeks or months” before the probe concludes.
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