Donations pour in for distraught dad of daughters allegedly abused by USA Gymnastics doctor

GoFundMe donations are pouring in for Randall Margraves, the distraught father who charged at disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar during a court proceeding in Eaton County, Michigan, on Friday.

Margraves’s two daughters are among the dozens of young women allegedly abused by Nassar over the past two decades. More than 150 women have testified in an Ingham County courtroom, followed by dozens more in the Eaton County, according to published reports.

Prior to the courtroom attack, Margrave’s daughters, Lauren and Madison Margraves, each gave emotional victim's impact statements about Nassar’s alleged abuse. Following their testimony, Margraves charged at Nassar. As he was restrained by the police, Margraves said, “Give me one minute with that..bast…d.”

Why did his friend set up a GoFundMe page?

The poignant scene led Margraves’ co-worker, Aaron Pangborn, to set up a GoFundMe page to help with possible legal costs and to help sexual assault victims. By late Saturday afternoon, 920 people had raised more than $31,000.

On the GoFundMe page, Pangborn says he set up the account “to help a brother and friend in need.”

Some parents supporting the cause commented on the accompanying video of the incident. They said they would have done the same thing if someone had sexually abused their children.

A video of the courtroom incident shows Margraves asking the courtroom judge for five minutes along with "the demon.” When the judge says no, he reduces his request to one minute. She declines again, and Margraves charges at Nassar. He was tackled by courtroom officers before he reached Nassar.

What did the judge say?

Judge Janice Cunningham admonished Margraves for his behavior but stopped short of charging him with contempt of court, a video of the incident shows.

“There is no way that this court is going to issue any type of punishment given the circumstances of this case,” Cunningham told Margraves.

He later apologized and admitted he “lost his cool,” the New York Post reported.

“I came here in support of my daughters … I’m not here to upstage [them],” Margraves stated in the report. “I’m here to help them heal.”

He agreed to stay out of additional court proceedings for Nassar.