On July 22nd, 2023, our dear friend Athena was in a devastating motorcycle accident in Long Beach. Thanks to her quick reaction time, she escaped with her life after a driver stopped short at a yellow light—but she did not escape unscathed.

Athena suffered compound fractures in her left femur, both fibulas, and both tibias. Her accident also resulted in a ruptured spleen, several brain bleeds, a stroke, and numerous blood clots from the days spent entirely immobile in her hospital bed following the accident. She was in and out of the ICU due to a variety of complications that threatened her recovery, bringing this spirited woman to such lows that she began confronting the possibility of needing to say goodbye to her family.

Despite the significant trauma, after two harrowing weeks in the hospital—thanks to the efforts of her doctors, the support of her family, and her own inner strength—Athena is home at last. While her condition is stable, she has an extremely difficult road ahead of her as she recovers emotionally, physically, and mentally.

Before the accident, Athena was the embodiment of the phrase “carpe diem” and made the most of each dawn: Whether that looked like gaining the recognition of her pilates instructor for consistently challenging herself, paddle boarding with her canine companion Jett, bungee jumping with her adult children, hiking demanding trails throughout Southern California, or running a marathon with friends, she was sure never to take a day for granted.

Suddenly being bound to a wheelchair for an indefinite period, cut off from the things she enjoys most, is understandably extremely challenging for Athena. She’s gone from getting to the end of a hard day and having the option to sweat it out in hot yoga, go to the gym, or enjoy the serenity of the ocean on her paddleboard, to now being restricted to the areas of her house accessible by her wheelchair.

On top of the physical trauma and major disruption of her everyday life, Athena is faced with staggering medical bills that continue to pile up as a result of the needed physical therapy and follow-up visits. She is working remotely, but the prospect of returning to her full time hours is fundamentally at odds with the fact that her brain and body require rest.

With your help, we seek to give Athena an opportunity to breathe a little easier. We want to raise enough funds to cover her medical bills and provide her with a cushion to take some much-needed time off.

Athena is supported by wonderful family and friends, including her three children and her husband. To provide full-time care, her daughter Aidan flew home to care for her in the critical weeks immediately following her return home from the hospital, and her son is taking time away from work to continue that care since Aidan’s had to return home. They are doing everything possible to support her recovery. But even with all of the support she has around her, the financial burden of Athena’s recovery is daunting and casts a long shadow over her journey.

We humbly ask for your support to help alleviate the financial burden on Athena and her family during this most stressful time.

The physical, emotional, and financial toll of this situation is immense, and that’s where we can make a difference.