SEOBLOGREEN - The number is staggering. It is immense. A campaign started with a modest goal of $20,000. It quickly exploded. Within days, it hit more than $1.6 million. The support was a public torrent. It showed where the heart of the people truly lies. This is the story of Alex Pretti.
The Hero of Minneapolis
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| Photo From Pixabay |
Alex was a registered nurse. He worked for the VA. He dedicated his life to helping others. That is the kind of man he was. On January 24, 2026, everything changed. It happened in Minneapolis. Alex was fatally shot. Federal immigration officers were involved. The official narrative was immediate. It was also immediately disputed.
Witness videos appeared. They told a different story. Alex was reportedly trying to protect a woman. This was during a confrontation with the federal agents. The videos showed a skirmish. They showed the tragic end. The shooting ignited a firestorm. It led to street protests. People were angry. They demanded accountability.
His parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, were heartbroken. They were also very angry. They denounced the "sickening lies" coming from officials. Trump administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, claimed Alex brandished a gun. The video evidence contradicted this. Alex was a good man. He was a hero. That is what his parents said. That is what the public believed.
The Flood of Public Generosity
The response was overwhelming. It was an instant reaction to a perceived injustice. An online fundraiser, titled "Alex Pretti is an American Hero," was launched. The initial $20,000 goal was shattered. It quickly surpassed the million-dollar mark.
The donations came in waves. They were small amounts. They were large amounts. People gave $5. They gave $20. Each donation was a vote of confidence. It was a stand against the official story. It was an act of solidarity with the grieving family. By late January, the campaign had received roughly 40,000 individual donations. This is a massive number. It shows a collective voice. The voice said: we care. We support the Pretti family.
Michael Pretti, Alex's father, was eventually named the official beneficiary. This gave the family direct access to the funds. It was a lifeline. It was financial support in a time of profound emotional pain. The money will help with immediate needs. It will help with long-term security. It will help in the fight for justice.
Bill Ackman's Controversial $10,000
Then came the big donation. It was from a famous name. Bill Ackman. He is an activist investor. A hedge fund manager. His $10,000 donation put him tied for the second largest individual donor. The biggest was healthcare clothing brand Figs Scrubs, which gave $25,000.
Ackman's contribution was news. But it was also complicated. Why? Because of a parallel event. Just three weeks earlier, another shooting occurred. Renee Nicole Good, another American citizen, was killed. She was shot by an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross. Ackman had also donated to Ross's fundraiser. He gave the same amount: $10,000.
His explanation for the Ross donation was public. He posted it on X. "I am big believer in our legal principle that one is innocent until proven guilty," he wrote. He explained he wanted to support both sides. He tried to support Good's family too, but their campaign was closed.
For the Pretti family donation, Ackman offered no public comment. The dual donation stirred conversation. It fueled debate. To some, it was a neutral act. A hedge against prejudice. A belief in due process. To others, it was jarring. It was a hedge fund manager balancing two very different moral scales. The narrative of the "American Hero" who died while protecting someone. The narrative of the officer who fired the fatal shots. Both received the same support from a billionaire investor.
This complexity does not diminish the public's support for Pretti. The sheer volume of the GoFundMe total is the true indicator. It is a modern form of protest. It is a digital march. It is $1.7 million raised by the people, for the people. For a nurse. For a hero. For Alex Pretti. The money will not bring him back. But it shows his life mattered. It shows his family is not alone. That is a powerful message.
Source: startribune.com
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