GoFundMe campaign for orphaned LaSalle children surpasses $250K

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There’s been an outpouring of community generosity for the young children who lost their parents in an apparent murder-suicide in LaSalle.

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In just 24 hours, at GoFundMe campaign organized by family friend Jessica Tullio raised roughly a quarter-million dollars.

As of 4 pm Tuesday, the campaign’s total was in excess of $267,000 — almost nine times the original goal of $30,000.

The total was continuing to climb at press time.

Tullio wrote that the loss of 34-year-old Amanda Lyons (nee Ioannidis) has been “devastating, to say the very least. Our hearts are completely shattered.”

“Amanda leaves behind her three beloved children, who were the absolute lights of her life. She loved them fiercely, and everything she did was for them. We are heartbroken for them and the difficult journey they now face.”

The campaign is the only one approved by Amanda’s family, with all funds going directly toward their care.

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The children — a five-year-old boy, a four-year-old girl, and an 8-month-old baby girl — are currently living with their grandparents on their mother’s side, with support from their aunts.

Meanwhile, as of Tuesday afternoon, there was still no word from police on the location of Blair Lyons, or his remains.

Police have said there is evidence that the 34-year-old LaSalle man jumped from the Ambassador Bridge on the morning of March 19.

Lyons’ pickup truck was left on the bridge. Windsor police responded to the abandoned vehicle, then alerted LaSalle police — who then attended the Lyons family home in the 1400 block of Sugarwood Crescent and found Amanda’s body inside.

LaSalle police have described Blair Lyons as the suspect in Amanda’s death.

“There are no words that will accurately describe how much you will be missed,” Tullio wrote about Amanda on Facebook.

Marine units continued to search the Detroit River on Monday and Tuesday.