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Family of shooting survivor grateful as firefighters raise tens of thousands of dollars

Posted at 11:23 PM, Nov 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-18 13:20:55-05

Richard Janise can't believe the outpouring of support.

"It's unfathomable," Janise said. “I have no words to explain the family camaraderie."

That family is the Terry Farrell Firefighters' Fund. Friday night, they threw a benefit at McMulan's Irish Pub for Janise's stepdaughter, Rylie Golgart.

"The way they've taken us under their wing and supported us, it's truly an incredible act," Janise said.

Rylie was at the harvest festival as chaos broke out amid the carnage, a bullet striking her in the back, lodging in a vertebra.

“When I found out she was shot, it was the worst feeling in my life," said Janise, a Clark County Firefighter, based at Station 11, right next to Mandalay Bay. 

Janise raced to the scene to get Rylie to safety.

"I knew she was in there and i wanted her to get out," he said.

Rylie, a freshman at Nevada State College, underwent surgery. She’s now at a rehabilitation center in Colorado on her long road to recovery.

"She's so strong and she's very driven and determined and very focused," said her aunt, Christina Sapone. “Every day is a bit of a new battle. She's very positive and wants to be known as a survivor, not a victim."

The firefighters presented a check for $15,000, Rylie’s family, raising more than $82,000 on  GoFundMe. The benefit will likely raise even more money.