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Edward Norton Raised Half A Million Dollars To Support A Syrian Refugee

After losing his family and battling stomach cancer, the anonymous refugee will get a chance at a new life.

The Syrian refugee crisis has prompted some unfortunate backlash from Americans, but refugees also have some outspoken supporters. Now, they can count Edward Norton among them.

The 46-year-old actor, known for starring in "Fight Club" and appearing in 2014’s Academy Award-winning “Birdman,” was moved to start a fundraiser for one Syrian refugee whose story was told on the photo blog Humans of New York. The anonymous refugee lost his wife and daughter in a bombing, and is also undergoing treatment for stomach cancer. After reading his story, Norton couldn’t help but mobilize financial support for the man, who’s known as “The Scientist."

Norton started a fundraiser to help cover medical and other expenses for “The Scientist," writing, "This man has suffered profound loss that would crush the spirit of many people and yet he still passionately wants a chance to contribute positively to the world. Everything we raise here will go to help this family so that the father can get the medical treatment he needs to live and pursue his work, and his family can build a new stable life after their tragedy."

The fundraiser, which is still ongoing, has raised more than $450,000 since it went up a week ago. “The response has been amazing," Norton said in an interview with People. "I don't think any of us thought it would be that much, that fast and it's very, very heartwarming."

The Scientist isn’t the only refugee whose story has been amplified by Humans of New York. Recently, a 20-year-old woman named Aya was featured in a series on the project’s website. Read her heartwrenching story here.

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