David Plummer looked into the stands and waved to his family after receiving a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics earlier this week. This special moment was possible thanks to more than 100 donations that raised over $9,000.
Plummer, the Wayzata boys swim coach and an assistant for the Minnetonka girls team, had his mom and wife in attendance with the help of a GoFundMe campaign started by a friend of Plummer's mom Kathy.
The original $4,000 goal to send Kathy to Rio was more than doubled. Donations ranging from $5 to $500 totaled $9,665 as of Thursday and allowed Plummer's wife to also make the trip.
The campaign was started by Carolyn Heck Bechtold on behalf of Kathy in early July after Plummer qualified for the Summer Games.
The GoFundMe page said "We are a group of high school friends that want to help Kathy make the trip to Rio! What Mom wouldn't want to be there to see her son complete for a Gold Medal? The money will be used for travel expenses - airfare and hotel. … Please help us get Kathy to Rio! She works hard, raised 4 wonderful boys and she deserves to be there!
The donations began flooding in and after a few days the goal had been met.
"The response has been overwhelming!! Kathy and David are blown away by your generosity!" an update said. "These funds will be used for Kathy and David's family!! Thank you all!!! I know David will swim better knowing his wife and mother will be in Rio cheering him on!!!! Bring home the Gold, David! We are all so proud of you!!!"
Plummer finished third in the 100-meter backstroke Monday night. The 30-year-old has no agent and no sponsor other than a relationship with Mizuno to provide his competition suits. He is the father of two sons, a 3-year-old and 3-month-old.
