Northern Colorado First Responders Collecting Money For Boulder Officer Eric Talley's Family
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - The first responder community in Northern Colorado is coming together to support their fallen peer, Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, the hero who was killed while trying to stop the King Soopers massacre. Nonprofit "NoCo Police and Fire Families" is donating 100% of their fundraiser proceeds to the Talley family through Friday April 2.
NoCo Police and Fire Families has already raised more than $22,000 in five days since the shooting happened, most of the money coming from other first responder professionals. However, donations are accepted from anyone in the public.
Longmont Police Sgt. Andy Feaster's wife, Sara, created the nonprofit in 2019 as a way to get first responder families together to support each other financially and emotionally. Sara, who was at work and unable to speak with CBS4 on the fundraiser, was the first person to start the fundraiser mission for the Talley family.
"Working in Longmont, we are very close to Boulder," Feaster told CBS4's Dillon Thomas. "(The shooting) was a gut punch. And then to hear there is an officer down inside, there aren't words to adequately describe that kind of situation."
NoCo Police and Fire Families made a pledge to donate all of their fundraiser's proceeds to the Talley family as a way to show their support.
"Every penny that we bring in is going to the Talley family. We don't keep a dime of it," Feaster said. "In some small way, this time monetarily, we are able to support his family and those he left behind."
Feaster said his organization, which supports police, firefighters, EMS and dispatchers, wanted to do whatever they could to help the Talley family navigate the rocky road ahead.
"We can't imagine the devastation. We can't imagine the loss. There are seven kids without their father now," Feaster said. "The law enforcement profession will forever support them. This is our profession coming together, having each other's backs, and supporting those left behind."
Those interested in donating to the Talley family, with all proceeds going to the family, are encouraged to donate.
"Officer Talley gave his life that day to protect others," Feaster said. "This is a father who will miss weddings, a father who will miss birthdays. This is much bigger than us as individuals."
