Team Tate: Triumph over Trauma
Donation protected
On the evening of October 25, 2019 Tate was house sitting at her parents' home while they were on vacation, and one of the family dogs wandered onto the road and was hit by a passing vehicle. The driver and passenger came to the house to notify her, and they returned to the road to survey the dog as a group. As they were assessing the animal while other bystanders were waving traffic around the site, a drunk driver failed to slow and struck all three of them.
Tate suffered a brain bleed, a brain contusion, has broken many of the bones in her extremities, a broken pelvis, at least two broken vertebrae, a hip dislocation, an open ankle dislocation, numerous facial fractures, and has a host of avulsions and lacerations over her body. She currently has motor function in all extremities and is stabilized in the ICU. The other two victims were taken to another hospital, but we are unable to speak to their current condition.
Surgeons determined her brain bleed was stable enough for her to undergo surgery, and Tate underwent a procedure that successfully stabilized her pelvic fracture. She is currently in surgery to fuse the compromised vertebrae.
Doctors say her road to recovery will be a long one. If all goes well, she’s looking at 12 to 18 months before she’s fully recovered, and she’ll be faced with challenging rehabilitation and therapy regimens that will likely last much longer.
Tate is so much to so many. She is a daughter. A little sister. An aunt. A leader. A friend. She’s a fighter in more ways than one. But more than anything, Tate is caring. She got hit by a drunk driver because she was doing everything she could to care for an animal that meant the world to somebody else. This is who she is. Anyone who’s ever interacted with Tate in any way has felt her positivity, and right now Tate needs all of yours.
So many lean on her, and know for a while she’s going to need to lean on you. Be sure to check back for her progress updates, lend a hand when and how you’re able, and be proud of how hard she’s fighting a battle she never asked to fight.
Tate suffered a brain bleed, a brain contusion, has broken many of the bones in her extremities, a broken pelvis, at least two broken vertebrae, a hip dislocation, an open ankle dislocation, numerous facial fractures, and has a host of avulsions and lacerations over her body. She currently has motor function in all extremities and is stabilized in the ICU. The other two victims were taken to another hospital, but we are unable to speak to their current condition.
Surgeons determined her brain bleed was stable enough for her to undergo surgery, and Tate underwent a procedure that successfully stabilized her pelvic fracture. She is currently in surgery to fuse the compromised vertebrae.
Doctors say her road to recovery will be a long one. If all goes well, she’s looking at 12 to 18 months before she’s fully recovered, and she’ll be faced with challenging rehabilitation and therapy regimens that will likely last much longer.
Tate is so much to so many. She is a daughter. A little sister. An aunt. A leader. A friend. She’s a fighter in more ways than one. But more than anything, Tate is caring. She got hit by a drunk driver because she was doing everything she could to care for an animal that meant the world to somebody else. This is who she is. Anyone who’s ever interacted with Tate in any way has felt her positivity, and right now Tate needs all of yours.
So many lean on her, and know for a while she’s going to need to lean on you. Be sure to check back for her progress updates, lend a hand when and how you’re able, and be proud of how hard she’s fighting a battle she never asked to fight.
Organizer
Rob Green
Organizer
Sioux Falls, SD
