Community Rallies: $12,500 Raised for Matt Dee's Farewell

Donors have raised more than $12,500 in days to farewell former Bondi Rescue lifeguard Matt Dee, with surplus funds pledged to mental health services.

More than $12,500 has been raised in just a few days to help cover the cost of funeral services for former Bondi Rescue star Matt Dee, according to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia. The GoFundMe has an $18,000 goal and has attracted individual donations ranging from $8 to $500, a spread that shows small gifts sitting alongside large ones. Contributions have been made in the names of fellow Bondi Rescue star Harrison Reid and Australian boxer Harry Garside. The former lifeguard passed away last week, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit beach community, and the fundraiser's organiser wrote that any contribution, no matter how big or small, would mean so much during this incredibly difficult time. Should the goal be surpassed, the organiser said any additional funds will be donated to Australian mental health services.

The generosity is surprising in scale but unsurprising in spirit, because Matt Dee spent years turning personal loss into public advocacy. nine.com.au reports that Dee was a passionate mental health ambassador after losing both his brother and sister within a year to severe mental health illness: his younger sister Rachel died aged 30 in December 2009 after about a decade living with schizophrenia, and older brother Jonathan, who had bipolar disorder, died months earlier at 34. Dee was open about living with the guilt of their deaths, and in a 2011 interview with The Sun-Herald he insisted that what happened was not their fault. He co-founded FTW Revolution, a clothing brand connected to Suicide Prevention Australia for which he was an ambassador, and Yahoo Lifestyle Australia notes the brand was dedicated to mental health awareness.

Tributes from the Bondi Rescue family have flooded social media since the news was announced on the FTW Revolution Instagram page on Wednesday, where a statement said Matt touched the lives of many and would be deeply missed and forever remembered by those who knew and loved him. Yahoo Lifestyle Australia reports that Bondi Rescue star Daniel McLaughlin, known as Beardy, wrote: "Rest easy, mate. You were a true character who lived life on your own terms," adding that he hoped Matt realised how many people he helped with his mental health advocacy, not to mention all the lives he saved on the beach. Trent "Maxi" Maxwell shared a picture of lifeguards including Jesse Pollock wearing FTW Revolution with the caption "Rest easy, Matty Dee," and Bruce "Hoppo" Hopkins reshared it, while nine.com.au records fans remembering Dee as "one of a kind".

A celebration of Matt's life will be held on Sydney's Bronte Beach on September 12, kicking off at midday, with people encouraged to paddle out into the water where his ashes will be spread, followed by food, drinks, music and a chance to share great memories, Yahoo Lifestyle Australia reports. The North Maroubra Surf Riders described him online as a larrikin, a brother to all and a leader of men, writing that they owe it to him to send him off in style. Beyond the farewell, the fundraiser's surplus pledge to Australian mental health services means the community's grief could extend his advocacy, building on a decade of Bondi Rescue service from 2008 to 2017. Dee's cause of death has not been publicly revealed, and neither outlet has reported further fundraising updates.