Where will the money go? Unprecedented donations keep pouring in for Humboldt Broncos

As donations from an online fundraisingcampaign for the Humboldt Broncos surpass $11 million, people are thinking about where that money will go and how it can best be used to help the families of those killed in the April 6 bus crash, as well as rebuild the lives of those who were injured.

Although staff from GoFundMe the crowdsourcing platform hosting the campaign have been providing advice and guidance, it's up to the Humboldt Broncos team managementto distribute the donations.

Randy MacLean, vice-president of the Humboldt Broncos, told CBC News that as funerals for the 16 people killed in the crash are underway, everyone is still in the midst of grieving and hasn't yet begun to process what the injured survivors and bereaved families will need.

The outpouring of support, which has generatedmore money than any other GoFundMecampaign in Canadian history, is "a great gift" to the victims of the tragedy, said Daryl Hatton, CEO of FundRazr, aVancouver-based online fundraising platform. (FundRazris a competitor to GoFundMe).

It also presents some "very complex and very emotional decisions" for the team, Hattonsaid.

'Young guys' badly injured

"You've got to balance a whole set of criteria of, 'What is a life worth? What was the future income of this life worth? What's it going to cost to have all of the different medical treatments done to support people?'" he said.

"These are some really young guys and some of them had the potential for a career in the NHL. Their future income that they may have lost, that their families maybe [were] starting to count on, has evaporated."

Kenneth Feinberg, a U.S. lawyer who has advised organizers for large U.S. GoFundMecampaigns including one for dozens of victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando said the Broncos should distribute the money as quickly as possible.

"These programs are fashioned, and drafted and designed, and then within 60 to 90 days, get the money out, shut down the fund. Everybody try and move on as best you can after a tragedy," Feinberg said in interview with CBCRadio's Calgary Eyeopener.

Canadian law firm to help with fund distribution

Both Feinberg and Hattonsaidthat theteam administrators should get anadviser whothe community supportsto help them distribute the funds.

In an update posted on the GoFundMepage on Friday night, the Humboldt Broncos announced the team was getting that assistance from a western Canada law firm.

"In the coming weeks, we will make an announcement about the process to distribute the fundsknow that we are working around the clock with our advisers to get the funds to our families as quickly as possible," the post said.

"MLT Aikins LLP law firm has graciously agreed to support us pro bono as we bring together the right teams of professionals to help us work through the steps of distributing these funds. We appreciate your patience as this process takes time and thoughtful consideration."

Keep fundraising?

Feinbergsaid the campaign should stop raising money now that the campaignhas far surpassed its original goal, which was in the thousands.

But Hattondisagrees.

Even though it seems like a lot of money, he said, "you want to know that [the injured survivors] are going to be OK for the rest of their life. And right now it's a big uncertainty. We don't know exactly what the insurance will look like ... we don't even know what all the costs will be yet."

The extent of thecosts arising from a devastating accidentcan be difficult to imagine, said KevinRempel,a Toronto-based Paralympiansledge hockey playerwho knows first-hand what it's like to live with atraumaticinjury.

"I don't even know where to begin," hetoldCBCNews.

Almost 12 years ago, Rempel suffered a spinal injury in a motocross accident. He was a partial paraplegic and his doctors told him he would likely never walk again.

After intensive rehab, he eventually did learn to walk, butstill endures significantpain and is limited in how much activity he can do with his legs.

What care will athletes need?

As of Friday evening, 10 people from the Humboldt Broncos crash remained in hospital, with two in critical condition,according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Little is known about their specific injuries, except thatRyanStraschnitzki,18 is paralyzed from the chest down.

For some severe injuries, including paralysis and brain injuries, financial support could be required to pay for24-hour care for basic living tasks such as dressing, bathing and eating, Rempelsaid.

But even if that level of care isn't needed, he said, there are unexpected costs that begin right after leaving the hospital and continue through the recovery process however long that is.

"Everything from... your medications, to if you need to use catheters, to a vehicle with hand controls to start driving yourself around again, to sending you back to school for re-education,"Rempelsaid.

If someone needs to use a wheelchair, "modifying your home" is an enormous expense, he said.

People often don't think about the cost of psychological and emotional recovery,Rempelsaid.

"I worked with a psychologist for three or four yearsbecause you have that mental trauma," he said. "Rebuilding your identity, rebuilding your life, like, 'Who am I now? Like, am Igoing to find love again or a relationship? How can I get through school when I'm going through challenges with my body right now?"

"Those ongoing costs will live on for a while," he said.

Because the deaths and injuries resulted from a road accident in Saskatchewan, many costs will be covered by SGI, theprovince's public insurance program.

"We do have a very comprehensive no-fault program," said SGIpresident Andrew Cartmell. "I think it's one of the best in the country."

Benefits available for people who are injuredrange from travel and accommodation costs for families visiting their loved ones in hospital to long-term rehabilitation and "trying to get the person back to ... their previous standard of living," he said.

The no-fault system helps eliminate delays in insurance payments while investigators determine the cause of vehicle crashes, Cartmellsaid.

"We don't care about who's at fault in the accident. We care about rehabilitating and care right away and that's we're able to do."

Families getting help with funeral costs

Saskatchewan insurance also covers funeral costs up to about $10,000, plus additional death benefits, including grief counselling.

Although Cartmellcould not confirm whether any insurance money had been provided to cover the funerals already underway for those who died in the crash, MacLean the Broncos vice-president said no families haveto front those expenses out of pocket.

Hockey Canada's insurance program also covers the Humboldt Broncos players, coaches and staff, spokespersonLisa Dornan told CBCNews in an email.

Dornansaid crisis management staff from both Hockey Canada and insurance provider AIGwere on-site in Humboldt "to help facilitate paperwork, phone calls, funeral arrangements, the provision of hospital records, travel arrangements in certain circumstances, guarantees to funeral homes, etc. essentially, any task that can support and assist the families and team in facilitating the claims process."

Both SGI and Hockey Canada said that money received by survivors and family members from fundraising campaignswould not affect their insurance benefits.