'Trolley man' reveals how he will spend $140,000 raised after Bourke St attack
The homeless hero to emerge from last Friday’s fatal Bourke Street terror attack has revealed how he plans to spend some of the $140,000 that was raised in public donations.
The National Homeless Collective set up the GoFundMe account on Saturday after Michael Rogers, now better known as “Trolley man”, used a shopping trolley to ram knife-wielding terrorist, Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, as police officers tried to disarm the Somali-born radical.
Funds reached the target on Tuesday, with the collective announcing “100 per cent” of proceeds will be placed in a Trust fund for Mr Rogers.
The organisers of the crowdfunding page said the first thing they did was purchase Mr Rogers a new mobile phone after he smashed his old one during the attack on Friday. He was also handed $500 in cash.
As a reward for his efforts, Mr Rogers told the Daily Mail he treated himself to a feast at his favourite restaurant – a spaghetti marinara and pizza at La Porchetta.
The 46-year-old, who admitted to being in and out of prison for the last 20 years said he has never been in such a position before and has vowed not to waste the money.
“I want to be a good guy,” he told the Daily Mail, adding that he also plans to donate $15,000 to charity.
“I’m going to try anything to do the right thing because I just wanna get a place to settle in that I like, and set it up the way I want it.”
An accountancy firm has offered to oversee it and provide the national hero with financial advice.
“As promised, 100% of the funds raised for Michael will go to him,” an update on his GoFundMe page read.
“They will be held in a trust account with our accountants at One Ledger who have very generously offered to oversee the handling of the funds and make sure Michael is well taken care of and guided financially as he moves forward.
Tributes continue for murdered Melbourne restaurateur
Hundreds of floral tributes were left outside the cafe where Sisto Malaspina was killed on Friday afternoon. Images: AAP
Hassan Khalif Shire Ali was shot dead by police after he set a gas bottle-laden ute on fire and went on a stabbing frenzy, killing beloved restaurateur Sisto Malaspina.
The 74-year-old is credited with founding Melbourne’s now booming coffee culture through his business Pellegrini’s Espresso.
Hundreds of floral tributes and signatures were left outside the café in the days after the attack before they reopened their doors on Tuesday morning.
Police officers were among the scores of Melburnians queuing up to pay their respects and order a long black – Sisto’s favourite coffee.
