Sarah Beckstrom GoFundMe seeks $20000 for the family of the fallen National Guardsman

A GoFundMe has been launched for the family of the 20 year old West Virginia National Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom, who was shot and killed in an attack near the White House. The fundraiser, started by the Mountaineer Journal, has a goal of raising $20,000 to assist her parents with funeral costs and other costs needed as they grieve their loss.

Beckstrom was one of two National Guard members on duty and apparently targeted in Wednesday’s attack, which authorities said appears to have been an intentional act by a 29 year old Afghan refugee, Rahmanullah Lakanwal.

The suspect reportedly ambushed before he opened fire with a .357 revolver and Beckstrom was hit in the chest and head. Another guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, 24, was also shot and is in critical condition at a hospital.

🚨🚨🚨🚨JUST IN: It is with deep sadness that 20 year old Sarah Beckstrom has passed away after yesterday’s senseless attack ❤️‍🩹🙏🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cltXLDO2bL

— MAGA-MAFIA-MEDIA (@MAGA_MAFIA_) November 28, 2025

Mountaineer Journal publisher Caiden Cowger launched the GoFundMe following repeated requests for some way to assist. According to Cowger, all donations will be sent directly to Beckstrom’s parents.

"To Sarah’s family, she was more than a soldier. She was a daughter, a friend, and a dedicated Christian... In moments like these, West Virginians always come together. We rally around our own. And today, Sarah’s parents need the support of the community she served with such conviction," the campaign read.

The fundraising page describes how Sarah Beckstrom took her faith seriously, loved her family and was proud of her job as a young soldier. It highlights that though her life was short, she had a mature sense of duty and voluntarily came forward to serve during dangerous situations.

"I am launching this fundraising effort to help the Beckstrom family shoulder the heavy and immediate burdens ahead—funeral expenses, travel, and the many unforeseen costs that come with a tragedy of this magnitude," Caiden Cowger added.

Sarah Beckstrom passed away, as President Donald Trump calls her “outstanding in every way.”

Beckstrom, who was rushed to the hospital, underwent an emergency surgery but died from her injuries the following day. Her father, Gary Beckstrom, announced her death. Hours before she died, he had acknowledged just how severe her wounds were.

"I’m holding her hand right now. She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery," he told The New York Times.

The news of her death was announced by President Donald Trump during a Thanksgiving call with military units, who called Beckstrom “incredible,” “highly respected” and “outstanding in every way.” The White House later announced that Trump had spoken to her parents in a condolence call.

Sarah Beckstrom was only 20 years old, fresh out of basic training, full of quiet courage and that gentle smile you see in her photo. On Thanksgiving morning she raised her hand and volunteered to stand watch in the nation’s capital so that her fellow Guardsmen could go home to… pic.twitter.com/L7aBjBiUq7

— 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ❷４𝐓𝓱𝕃𝔼𝕋𝕋𝔼ℝ ™ (@4thletterThe) November 28, 2025

According to reports, Sarah Beckstrom had only joined the West Virginia National Guard in June 2023 and volunteered to work the Thanksgiving shift for others to be able to spend it with their families.

Lakanwal is likely to be arraigned on several charges, including assault with intent to kill, if Wolfe survives, authorities said. But with Beckstrom’s passing now part of the case, authorities anticipate filing first-degree murder charges against that suspect. Prosecutors have said they are pursuing the death penalty.

As the investigation unfolds, the GoFundMe has become a way for members of the community and people nationwide to recognize Beckstrom’s sacrifice and to help those she leaves behind.