Online appeal raises more than £30k for family of ‘Good Samaritan’
‘We are overwhelmed by the outpouring for Chris ... he would be amazed (and no doubt embarrassed)’
AN ONLINE appeal has so far raised more than £30,000 for the family of Chris Marriott, the “Good Samaritan” who was hit by a car and killed while trying to intervene in a violent feud at a wedding party.
Mr Marriott, 46, died last Wednesday after he went to the aid of a woman whom he had spotted lying unconscious in the street during a disturbance in the Burngreave area of Sheffield.
As the father-of-two tended to the woman, a car ploughed into the crowd striking him and a number of others. A Gofundme appeal launched last Friday to financially support Mr Marriott’s family soon surpassed its £5,000 target, and as of last night had raised£30,000.
A message, attributed to Mr Marriott’s family, posted on the fundraiser page, says: “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support being shown for Chris, and appreciate every comment and donation.
“Chris would be amazed (and no doubt embarrassed) at the attention his actions have generated, but [he] would also have loved to have seen how friends, neighbours and complete strangers have come together to show support for his family and help financially. Thank you so much.”
According to residents, the unconscious woman had been caught up in a feud between two families which spilt out on to the street following a wedding at a local mosque.
Hassan Jhangur, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court on Saturday charged with murder and five other counts of attempted murder.
The 23-year-old was remanded in custody during the brief appearance and will appear again at Sheffield Crown Court tomorrow.
The people named in the attempted murder charges are Hasan Khan, Alison Norris, Ambreen Jhangur, Nafeesa Jhangur and Riasat Khan.
Last Friday, Mr Marriott’s family released a statement which said: “Chris was a wonderful husband, dad, brother, uncle – and friend to many.
“The circumstances of his death, although tragic and unfathomable to us, his family, show the sort of man he was – to go to help rather than to turn away,” the tribute added.
Mr Marriott, who has been described as a “Good Samaritan” by police, worked for a debt counselling charity and was a leading member of his church, helping set up and run a food bank in Sheffield.
Police said he had been out for a post-christmas walk with his wife and two young sons when the tragedy unfolded, at just after 2pm last Wednesday.
Several others were injured during the incident including an off-duty midwife who had also stopped to help. At least one man was reported to have been stabbed in the disturbance.
The midwife suffered minor injuries, another man received serious injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening and four other people, three women and a man, suffered minor injuries, police said.