Supernatural alum Jared Padalecki has launched a GoFundMe campaign to honor someone he considered "family."
Holli DeWees, who was considered a "family member" to the cast of the hit series, passed away earlier this month after a battle with breast cancer. Following the devastating news, Jared started a campaign to raise funds on behalf of Holli's family.
"As some of you may have seen, one of our own #SPNFamily members has recently passed away from a brave battle with cancer," the 39-year-old actor wrote on the campaign's page on Aug. 9. "Holli DeWees was not only family, but a longtime volunteer with Random Acts. She worked to make so many lives better, and now we have an opportunity to take up her mantle and provide some help to the most important people in her life—her kids."
"All funds raised here will go directly to her husband and kids," he continued. "Thank y'all so much for helping her family make it through this incredibly difficult time. With love and gratitude."
The actor also shared the link to his social media platforms in an effort to spread more awareness on the campaign. "If you have the means to join us in helping them, please do," he wrote on Twitter. "And if not, please consider leaving words of support for her family on this page."
The page has already surpassed the $25,000 donation goal in a matter of four days. And in the actor's original post, Jared promised to virtually meet with at least one Supernatural fan as a form of a thank-you.
"Thank y'all for all the support you've given this family so far," he wrote in an updated post on the GoFundMe page. "Unfortunately, I didn't realize that GoFundMe cannot take donations that are intended to be used for a raffle. But I'd still love to talk to one of y'all."
The Walker star added, "Please continue to support Holli's family if you would like to, but a donation through GoFundMe is not required for a chance to win a chat."
Holli first shared the news of her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2020.
"It has spread to my lymph nodes," she wrote in an Instagram post. "It's triple negative, which makes it very aggressive. My doctors really do not want to use radiation due to my autoimmune issues. I'm at least stage 3, and right now we're trying to determine if it's spread beyond that. If my other health issues have been masking anything. If it has spread, it will be stage 4."
Holli is survived by her husband, Michael DeWees, and their two children.