GoFundMe campaign seeks to raise money for local soldier

Staff Sgt. Ian Ives critically injured by IED blast in Afghanistan

By Marguerite Cleveland on November 14, 2019

On Oct. 6, Staff Sgt. Ian Ives was critically injured by an IED explosion while deployed to Afghanistan. The Puyallup resident is currently at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he is undergoing treatment to include multiple surgeries for his extensive injuries. 

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According to the 1st Special Forces Group Facebook page, Lt. Gen. Francis Beaudette, Commanding, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, presented Ives, a public affairs sergeant, with the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge.

Joseph Parrish, a close friend to Ives and his family, set up a GoFundMe campaign to help Ives; his wife, Becca; and their 1-year-old daughter with the ongoing medical expenses.

"They will have to relocate multiple times during this lengthy process. Ian and his family have a very long road to recovery and will have some big decisions to make along the way. Any donation will help with the financial side of this and relieve them of one less issue," Parrish noted on the campaign page.

There is also a Meal Train for those near Walter Reed where the family is staying. They have lodging, but meals and toiletries are not included. Instructions can be accessed on the GoFundMe page.

"Our experience has shown us that people everywhere want to be able to help each other, and it's been moving to see the community rally around the Ives family following such a devastating accident," said Angelique McNaughton, director of regional communications for GoFundMe.com. "People are capable of incredible empathy, and when there's a need in their community, people will do what they can to ease the burden for others; we see this every day on GoFundMe. More than ever, we're seeing people leverage the power of GoFundMe to help others in their time of need."

In this day and age of fraud, GoFundMe works hard to protect donors.

"I can confirm that this is a verified campaign," assured McNaughton. "To ensure the safety of the platform and protect our donors, GoFundMe requires transparency. We ask that campaign organizers clearly identify who they are, who they are raising funds for, their relationship to the beneficiary and how the funds will be spent. If a donor ever has a question or wants to know more about a campaign before they donate, they can reach out to our team or the Campaign Organizer directly through the GoFundMe page.

"All donors should feel safe in knowing that their donation is always backed by the GoFundMe guarantee, which means that in the rare case that GoFundMe, law enforcement or a user finds campaigns are misused, donors are fully protected and will get their money back."

The GoFundMe campaign for Ives raised more than $7,000 the first day, and as of Nov. 1, the total was $13,205.

To contribute to Ives' recovery, visit: GoFundMe.com and search for Staff Sgt. Ian Ives. You can find additional information on the GoFundMe Guarantee at gofundme.com/guarantee-refund-policy.