Family of injured Broncos player says Gofundme should be split evenly

At least one family whose son was injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash says the millions raised by a Gofundme campaign should be split evenly among the survivors and the families of those killed.

The fundraiser was created immediately after the April 6 accident and raised $15.2 million in less than two weeks.

The cash is being transferred to a new non-profit corporation called the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc. and is expected to be distributed to victims in the coming months.

“I just say divide it, but that’s just me,” said Tom Straschnitzki, whose son Ryan was paralyzed from the chest down. “That’s my opinion.”

Sixteen people — including 10 players — were killed and another 13 players were in- jured a month ago when the junior hockey team’s bus and a semi collided at a rural intersection. No other families have offered an opinion, but officials with the team have said they will establish an advisory committee that will make recommendations on how the money should be doled out.

“They will end up going through a process that involves the courts,” said Kevin Garinger, president of the Humboldt Broncos. “We want to do it fairly.”

A U.s.-based lawyer said he has suggested the team appoint an administrator and community advisory committee.

“The first step should be for the administrator to draft a protocol that details the eligibility criteria and the methodology for calculating individual awards,” said Ken Feinberg, who has dealt with similar funds for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing. “Then that draft document should be subject to a true public hearing in Humboldt open to everyone.”