Mother of Fallen Marine Warns of Scam Fundraisers

MARIETTA, Ga. - Every summer since Skip Wells was a young boy they'd gone to Disney World. The last time was eight days before he was among four marines and sailor killed by a gunman in Chattanooga.

"I do know I will see him again. I know where he's at and I will see him again and he is with me everywhere I go," said Cathy Wells, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Skip Wells.

Ms. Wells said other people who claim they were connected to her son apparently profited through on line fundraisers.

"Unless you have contacted me personally, you need to shut it down," Ms. Wells said.

On one site, she said donations were being sought to pay for the funeral of her son which was paid for by the Marines.

"I know of one possibly two that were fraudulent. We have no GoFundMe accounts. We have not set up one single one. I'm not taking any personal donations," said Ms. Wells.

Now, Cathy Wells is directing donations to Marines & Mickey, a nonprofit that helps bring needy families to Marine ceremonies as well as sends them and their families to Disney World and Disneyland.

"He would want me to send as many of his marine brothers and sisters as he could to Disneyworld. that was the happiest place on earth for him," said Ms. Wells.

She also supports the Wingmen Motorcycle Club on Facebook which established the Marine Lance Corporal Skip Wells Memorial Scholarship.

Her son may be gone, but Cathy Wells said his legacy will live on.

"Yeah I'm going to continue to do this for as long as I can. It's about honoring Skip and what he did for his country," said Ms. Wells.

She also said there is an account opened at Wells Fargo for scholarship money at Sprayberry High School where Skip attended.

She believes nearly $4,000 was taken in fraudulent accounts set up in her son's name.