Family, friends of Grand Blanc church attack victims launch online fundraisers

Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News on Sep 30, 2025

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DETROIT — More family and friends of victims of Sunday's attack at a Grand Blanc Township church have launched GoFundMe pages seeking help.

The pages were verified Tuesday by the online fundraising platform.

Benjamin Phelps and his young son were among those wounded in the attack, according to a page launched Monday by Sarah Kunzler.

"We are grateful to share that his son has returned home, but Benjamin still faces a long and difficult recovery," she wrote on the page, which set a goal of $15,000.

"As the Phelps, Bolingbroke, and Swainston families, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your prayers, love, and support," she said. "As Mosiah 18:9 reminds us, we are called to 'mourn with those that mourn ... and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.' We know that through Jesus Christ, true healing and peace are possible, and we are grateful for the love being shown to Benjamin and his family."

As of Tuesday morning, the page raised more than $32,000.

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support — thank you all so much!" Kunzler wrote on the page. "Because of your generosity, we met our goal in less than 3 hours. Since we don’t yet know the full extent of what Benjamin and his family will need in the coming weeks and months, we’ll be keeping this fundraiser open for anyone who would still like to donate."

Fenton resident Jennifer Hayden organized a GoFundMe page to help her father-in-law's wife. Hayden, who created the page late Monday, said he died in the attack.

"My father-in-law lost his life helping another in the shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc," she wrote on the page. "We are raising money to help support his wife of over 50 years get through the bills and living expenses she will now be facing alone. If you are able to contribute, anything would be a great blessing. We believe that the Lord amplifies our efforts. Thank you."

As of Tuesday morning, her page had raised nearly $16,000.

Relatives previously identified a Navy veteran as one of four people killed in the church attack.

John Bond was described as a "loving husband, father and grandfather" on a GoFundMe page, where loved ones are raising money to finance a memorial service and support his family.

The legitimacy of the online fundraiser has been verified by GoFundMe.

On Sunday morning, police said 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton drove a vehicle into the Grand Blanc Township Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before intentionally setting fire to the building and firing several rounds. Ten people were shot, two fatally. Two other bodies were later found in the rubble.

Officers shot and killed Sanford within minutes of arriving at the scene, police said.

The suspect is a former U.S. Marine who served from 2004-08 in Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to records provided by the U.S. Marine Corps. Law enforcement officials have declined to speculate on his motive, but one Burton man said Sanford had expressed virulent anti-Mormon sentiments.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags at the State Capitol Complex and all public buildings and grounds across the state to be lowered to half-staff through Friday to honor the victims.