Fundraising page raises thousands for at-risk LGBT youth after death of basketball writer Bo Churney

On Wednesday morning, sportswriter Robby Kalland shared on Twitter that Atlanta-based NBA blogger Bo Churney had died by suicide and that Churney’s brother had hoped to spread word to the online NBA community.

Within hours, a fundraising page set up to benefit an Atlanta organization that provides outreach to at-risk LGBT youth in Atlanta had raised more than $5,000 in Churney’s honor.

The news of Churney’s death rocked much of the Twitter NBA world, with dozens of people, from high-profile writers to regular fans, expressing shock and sharing their memories.

Tragic, awful news about @bochurney. All my best wishes to everyone that knew him well. Just horrible.

It’s on all of us to be kind to each other and show that we care. You never know how much that little step to check in and say hello can mean.

— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) May 23, 2018

I don’t even have the words right now…one of my favorite twitter followers and eventual colleagues @bochurney committed suicide yesterday. I will always remember Bo as one of the nicest people thanks to this app.

— Andrew Hammond (@ahammALDC) May 23, 2018

So, so sad this morning to learn of the passing of @bochurney Life is so precious and to have his spirit extinguished so suddenly leaves a hole in our universe. RIP.

— Bob Rathbun (@BobRathbunTV) May 23, 2018

RIP @bochurney. The world is so, so much worse without you.

— Andrew Lynch (@AndrewLynch) May 23, 2018

https://twitter.com/MichaelFosterSN/status/999327829669175296

https://twitter.com/IanDougherty/status/999311806077136896

we love you @bochurney

— whitney medworth (@its_whitney) May 23, 2018

The Atlanta Hawks acknowledged Churney — who wrote for a number of publications including HawksHoop, Atlanta’s ESPN TrueHoop affiliate — through both their main account and their PR account.

(1/2) Hawks PR is saddened to hear of the passing of @bochurney. His genuine passion and enthusiasm for covering the team came through in his writing and his witty and thoughtful social media posts, and we always enjoyed catching up at Philips Arena.

— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) May 23, 2018

(2/2) Our condolences go out to Bo’s family and the Hawks social media community.

— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) May 23, 2018

The NBATV show The Starters even displayed a photo of Churney’s Twitter avatar in its studio Wednesday.

Appreciate @TheStarters showing Bo love. We'll miss you, @bochurney. pic.twitter.com/hmU8loiZXs

— Graydon Gordian (@MrGordian) May 23, 2018

Meanwhile, Kalland and fellow writer Jared Dubin set up a fundraising page, with proceeds benefiting Lost N Found Youth, an Atlanta-based non-profit that, per its website, “exists to end homelessness for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) and all sexual minority youth.”

“If you loved him, if you liked him, if you knew him, if you just want to help some kids who need help, donate here,” NBA writer and Hardwood Paroxysm founder Matt Moore wrote on Twitter while sharing a link to the page.

For @bochurney:

In his honor, there’s a fund for at-risk LGBTQ kids in Atlanta at @LostNFoundYouth

If you loved him, if you liked him, if you knew him, if you just want to help some kids who need help, donate here:https://t.co/Ul0pU27lao

We already miss you so much, Bo.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 23, 2018

As of 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the page had raised $5,132, a figure that was rising by the minute. You can donate right here.