Rapper Travis Scott has pledged to fund memorial services for victims of the Astroworld tragedy, which left eight people dead and at least 25 injured Friday at the Houston music festival.
In addition to covering funeral costs, Scott is also partnering with online mental health services provider BetterHelp and Houston’s Cactus Jack Foundation to offer a month of free therapy to survivors and others affected by the incident.
A press release from Scott’s publicity team on Monday called the efforts “the first of many steps Travis plans on taking as a part of his personal vow to assist those affected throughout their grieving and recovery process.”
The announcement also mentions that the ‘Sicko Mode’ hitmaker is cooperating with mental-health organisations such as NAMI, MHA National and MHA of Greater Houston to provide additional resources to individuals impacted by Friday’s events.
To access their month of complimentary counselling sessions with a licensed therapist, Astroworld attendees and others must complete a mental-health survey on the BetterHelp website.
The Houston chapter of NAMI has also set up a national hotline. The hotline will direct callers to BetterHelp and “ensure access to various counselling services, psychoeducation, community-based healing circles, support groups, and other related services.”
In multiple statements given over the weekend, Scott said he is “devastated” by the deadly situation that unfolded at Astroworld, where a crowd surge resulted in concertgoers collapsing, getting trampled, struggling to breathe and going into cardiac arrest.
He has since vowed to refund all Astroworld ticket fees and reportedly dropped out of this weekend’s Day N Vegas music festival. Multiple lawsuits have already been filed against the ‘Goosebumps’ artist in connection with the Astroworld disaster.
“I just want to send out prayers to the ones that was lost last night. We’re actually working right now to identify their families, so we can help assist them through this tough time,” Scott said Saturday in a series of videos posted to his Instagram story.
“My fans really mean the world to me, and I always want to leave them with a positive experience. And any time I could make out anything that was going on, I’d stop the show and help them get the help they need. I could never imagine the severity of the situation.”
