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Ertzinger emergency fund

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Sammie Ertzinger, 18, is in intensive care at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City after nearly succeeding in a catastrophic suicide attempt. Her mother, Kristin, has depeleted the family funds in trying to keep her child alive, and will be taking unpaid leave to stay with Sammie through a long process of surgeries to repair extensive orthopedic (bone) injuries and internal injuries. Sammie also has a little sister at home. Kristin used to work with me, and Sammie would light up our office by bouncing around to our desks. But for the past five years, has been battling a toxic mix of mental illnesses. Here is their heartbreaking story, posted Saturday (2/11/17) on Facebook:

"This is brutal and tragic and graphic and raw and this is what suicide looks like. Roughly 11 hours ago, my sweet baby, my first born, was in a single vehicle car crash on interstate I-80. The crash was intentional and her latest in a long string of suicide attempts. She is 18, diagnosed chronic clinical depression, anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder. She is gender non-conforming male>female. She is so brave, but so tortured. She is in critical condition in the ICU at University of Iowa Hospital with both hips/femers fractured, right elbow and radius, ulna and one other bone in her arm fractured, mandable fracture, right temporal bone fracture, broken bone in right foot, severe liver laceration, small kidney laceration, maybe more as they continue to evaluate her. Today she will go into one of probably a few surgeries to come to put her back together with rods/pins/screws. She was just discharged yesterday from Waterloo Covenant hospital acute psych unit for a strong suicidal gesture/desire/near attempt Monday evening. That was her 13th psych hospitalization. Many said she was just looking for attention. I knew in my heart she'd persist until she succeeded, or in this case, nearly succeeded. I've done everything humanly possible to keep this child alive over the last 5 years, and her determination to end her own pain has led her here, where ironically, she'll endure more pain than she ever knew possible. This my worst nightmare so far on this challenging journey of ours. The long road toward healing she has in front of her seems impossible to face. How does someone who is so mentally ill recover from something so hard?? I don't know that I will recover from this. For all of you raising and loving your your children, I applaud you. This was never what I thought being a mom would be for me, but somehow, I still feel honored to be her mom. Hug your babies, even and especially if they are grown and struggling. If you can't hug them, call them. Right now. Tell them how wonderful they are and how special they are and how they mean the world to you. If I had the power to take her place in that bed, you better belive I would. Prayers, good healing thoughts and vibes welcome."
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Donations 

  • Beth McDougall
    • $50 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Diana Nollen
Organizer
Cedar Rapids, IA
Kristin Ertzinger
Beneficiary

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