"Lifelong Friend" Trying to Keep Promise

Michael Rooney made a promise to his "lifelong friend" David Baltramaitis: "to help his family out if anything ever happened to him and I intend to keep it," Rooney says on GoFundMe.com.

Baltramaitis, 36, of Millbury, died on Dec. 18 after being stricken ill.

Rooney has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $5,000 to help his friend's family through a memorial fund.

The drive had raised $1,070 as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

"I have set this up on my own with no knowledge or permission from the family this ha snow change and I have gotten complete in this endeavor. My intentions were to do this behind the scenes to help them out as much as we can," Rooney says.

I have spoken with most of the family and know that this is a burden that they need assistance with in my heart. Whatever we can raise here will be given directly to them to use as they see fit."