GoFundMe Helps Family Of Brooklyn Educator Killed By Fallen Tree

BROOKLYN, NY — A fundraiser set up for the family of a Brooklyn educator who was tragically killed by a fallen tree has raised more than $117,000 in a single day.

Elias "Eli" Smith, who worked as vice principal at the Math & Science Exploratory School in Boerum Hill, was hit by a falling tree on Saturday during a trip home to Indiana for his father's birthday.

A GoFundMe set up for the father of two's family had raised nearly $150,000 as of Thursday morning.

"Eli was a family man ... an incredibly loving and supportive husband to Lindsey and father to Evie and Beau," fundraiser organizer Thomas Sokol wrote. "Eli's sudden passing leaves a hole in the lives of many, but none will feel his absence more acutely than Lindsey, Evie, and Beau...The Smith family needs the help and support of friends near and far now more than ever."

Smith, 40, was sitting with his brother around a fire pit in his parents' backyard when a "violent storm" moved in quickly, according to his brother-in-law Steve Wagner. Both brothers ran to take cover, but Eli did not make it inside before being hit by a tree.

"On Saturday evening the world lost a kind, gentle soul when Eli Smith was killed," a statement from the family reads.

He had grown up in Carmel before heading to Washington University for college and then Pace University in New York City for a graduate degree. Smith worked as a math teacher at the Math & Science Exploratory School for nearly a decade before becoming vice principal in 2014.

"Eli was one of a kind; he had a brilliant, inquisitive mind, a quirky sense of humor, and a kind soul," Sokol wrote. "He was a devoted educator, and he made a positive impact on the lives of many through his work in the classroom and as an administrator."

The family said in a statement this week they are grateful for all the support, which has come from friends, neighbors, colleagues, students and former students, and family and friends in Indiana. The money raised will help the Smith family with expenses in the coming years, the statement said.

"The fact that the GoFundMe page has raised almost $150,000 in the last few days is a testament to Eli’s legacy and positive impact on so many people," Wagner said.

Find the GoFundMe for Smith's family here.