Mahoning Valley Residents donate over $16,000 to a GoFundMe page for 13-year-old Jaxsen Morelli who was critically injured after he was accidentally shot with a pellet gun and put into a medically-induced coma last Friday.

Ray Root, the creator of the GoFundMe page, says he started the fundraiser because he would want the same thing from the community if he or a family member were in critical condition.

"I just felt it in my heart that I needed to do this for them," he said.

Root claims that the page raised around $5,000 within the first four to five hours of its upload on Monday.

"Our community has been reaching out and just blessing them with everything that they can and I pray to god that they keep doing it," he said.

Root, who is also a friend of Morelli's family, adds that members of the community have also donated food to the family.

The page's goal is set for $20,000.

The page received a $750 donation on Friday morning from Mahoning Valley Premier Home Improvements, where Root works as a sales manager.

Lakeview Middle School, where Morelli attends, hosted a vigil for him Sunday afternoon.

Principal Joshua Vastag says the school held the event to show support for Jaxsen.

"He has a good, solid group of friends, he's an athlete, so he's got teammates, and has made a great impression on all the teachers and the staff and us, and we're pulling for him," he said.

Root says that he plans to hold more fundraising events in the future.