Comedian Ellyn Daniels donates $15,000 to $2.9m Ralph Yarl GoFundMe campaign

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Comedian Ellyn Daniels has donated $15,000 to a GoFundMe campaign to support Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager shot by a white homeowner in Kansas City.

Daniels has been joined in donating to the fund - which has now raised nearly $3m in two days - by the likes of Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary who gave $5,000 and TV star Julianne Hough, who donated $1,000.

Influencer and entrepreneur Jayde Cheaves gave $5,000 to the fund, and artist Rashid Johnson also donated $1,000.

The Independent has reached out to Daniels for comment.

Ralph, a 16-year-old high school junior, was allegedly shot in the head and hand by Andrew Lester when he went to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house on 13 April.

Prosecutors allege that Ralph had gone to collect his siblings from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, but got the wrong address and accidentally went to a home on 115th Street by mistake.

On the campaign page, a woman who identified herself as Ralph’s aunt described the teenager as a “fantastic kid” who had dreams of doing to Texas A&M University to major in chemical Engineering.

“At school, he is a member of the Technology Student Association and Science Olympia Team. Jazz and competition band. He is a section leader in the marching band; a scholar and one of the top base clarinet players in Missouri. He recently earned Missouri All-State Band recognition with an honorable mention. He plays multiple instruments in the metropolitan youth orchestra. He is a 2022 Missouri scholar academy alumni. Ralph can often be found with a musical instrument. He loves them all,” the page reads.

The family then updated the page once Ralph had returned home from hospital. “Ralph is currently at home with the family. He can ambulate and communicate. A true miracle considering what he survived.

“Each day is different. He has a long road ahead. However, we are very thankful that he is still here with us. I’ve been taking the time to read the emails and comments to Ralph. It warms our hearts to see him smile at all the kind words. Thank you so much for loving Ralph.”