Lewis Hamilton, six-time Formula 1 World Champion, pledges to donate $500,000 to help Australia
"I commit to donating $500,000 (€450,000) to help animals, wildlife volunteers, and local fire services," wrote the British champion on Twitter, inviting his millions of followers to also make a donation.
"It breaks my heart to see the devastation that fires are causing to people and animals across the country," Hamilton wrote about fires that have reduced an area equivalent to the size of Ireland (about 80,000 km2) to ashes and destroyed over 2,000 homes.
The 35-year-old driver accompanied his message with a video that has gone viral online, showing a koala saved from the flames by local residents.
According to a study, Professor Chris Dickman from the University of Sydney estimated on Monday that 1 billion animals had died, including mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and invertebrates.
Hamilton's donation adds to those of other sports stars, such as the nine Australian NBA players who have pledged to donate $750,000, or the donations from tennis players Ashleigh Barty -the women's world number one- and Nick Kyrgios. (I)