SEATTLE – The birthday wish of a girl who wanted to raise $300 for clean water in Africa has been granted and then some, as donors gave more than $1 million after she died from a car crash.
Rachel Beckwith had been near her goal when she turned 9 on June 12, so her donation website closed. She was injured in a 13-car pileup on July 20 and taken off life support days later. A pastor arranged for the website to be reopened.
The "charity: water" nonprofit says more than 26,000 donations have come in by Friday. Founder Scott Harrison says some came from Africa, Brazil, Thailand and Europe.
Rachel's mother, Samantha Paul, says she's "in awe of the overwhelming love to take my daughter's dream and make it a reality."
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