Try GOLD - Free
Musk pledges $1m gift to honour murdered refugee
The Independent
|September 12, 2025
The tech world - including billionaire Elon Musk - has pledged $1.5m to create memorial murals of the Ukrainian refugee who was brutally murdered on a train in North Carolina last month.
Eoghan McCabe, the CEO and founder of Intercom, committed $500,000 to commission nationwide murals of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death on a light-rail train in South End, Charlotte, on 22 August.
“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations,” Mr McCabe wrote on X/Twitter. The offer caught the attention of Mr Musk, who then announced that he would contribute $1m to the cause.
A source working on the initiative, who chose to be anonymous, told Fox News Digital that they are currently in talks with more than 1,000 artists across the country to select who will paint the murals. Mr McCabe is also working on putting up posters featuring Zarutska’s face throughout major US cities, the source added.
This story is from the September 12, 2025 edition of The Independent.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Independent
The Independent
I've had a tough year – but high trees take a lot of wind
Three-time WDC champion Michael van Gerwen explains to Luke Baker he is ready to erase his horrific 2025, on and off the oche, and show Luke Littler who is the true world's best
5 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Snicko chief takes blame for slip that saved Carey's neck
Australia reached 326-8 on day one of third Ashes Test after operator error helped Alex Carey record a crucial century
2 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
How a resurgent Isis spread its tentacles far and wide
As its links with the Bondi gunmen are investigated, author Peter Neumann explores how the terror group has evolved, and why we should be worried by its chilling new call to arms
4 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
How the pain of addiction stalked the Reiner family
The younger son of the beloved film director Rob Reiner has been charged with murdering his parents. Katie Rosseinsky charts the harrowing buildup to a real-life Hollywood tragedy
7 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Erasmus breakthrough shows the route back from Brexit
One of the hidden costs of Brexit was that Britain put itself at a disadvantage with EU negotiators by starting from a position of: “We don’t like you.”
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Cherki rocket proves he's more than just tribute act
Take Erling Haaland out of the team and Manchester City still had two of his trademark celebrations.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Doctors direct chants at Streeting as walkout begins
Resident doctors claimed there is a sense that “the system is breaking” as they started a five-day strike in England due to an ongoing row over jobs and pay.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Public is losing patience with striking doctors
Taken literally, the British Medical Association's demand for resident doctors' pay to be restored to 2008 levels would require an immediate 26 per cent rise, at a cost to the Treasury of some £700m.
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
It's time to pull the plug on Emily's insipid adventures
Minnie Driver brings a much-needed injection of camp self-awareness to the fifth season of 'Emily in Paris' - but she still can't save this sterile show from itself says Katie Rosseinsky
3 mins
December 18, 2025
The Independent
Trump chief of staff says he has ‘alcoholic’s personality’
Donald Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles has given a brutal review of the president in a major new interview, saying he has an “alcoholic’s personality”.
4 mins
December 18, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size