I met my dear friend Stephanie in 2008 when we worked together at an Architecture and Interiors Design firm. She is one of the most clever, witty, and creative people I know — a true Renaissance soul with talents spanning writing, producing, design, photography, fashion, marketing, and more. But beyond all of that, Stephanie is one of the most joyful and empathetic people I have ever known, with an innate ability to connect to any and everyone, genuinely interested in others and their self-fulfillment.

In 2017, she moved her intellectually disabled twin sister from a Texas group home to live with her in Los Angeles so she could experience a fuller, more self-expressed, joy-filled life. As her sister’s sole caregiver, Stephanie devoted herself completely — bathing her, feeding her, carrying her, guiding her wheelchair, and enhancing her days with music, art, and community. She did it all with love and gratitude.

After her sister’s sudden passing in 2021, Stephanie began the long process of rebuilding her life.

Then, on September 14, 2025, tragedy struck again.

While driving on the freeway early that Sunday morning during a traffic slowdown, Stephanie’s car was violently rear-ended by a reckless driver. The impact crushed her vehicle and sent it spinning into other cars.

Emergency responders worked for 25 minutes to extract her from the wreckage and keep her alive before rushing her into life-saving surgery.

Her injuries were catastrophic.

• Internal trauma requiring emergency surgery

• Removal of her spleen, leaving her permanently immunocompromised

• Heart trauma that required her to wear a defibrillator

• Blood in her lungs, requiring a chest tube

• Multiple broken ribs

• A broken collarbone that will never realign

• Ongoing reduced mobility and extreme pain in her lower spine, and right arm and shoulder

• A subsequent hospitalization for severe pneumonia only days after release

When you see photos of the car, it is nothing short of a miracle that she survived.

Stephanie now faces a long recovery and a lifetime of medical management. Because the driver did not carry sufficient insurance, she will not be fully compensated for her medical expenses and lost income.

She is currently unable to work and urgently needs support for:

• Rent and utilities

• Groceries and basic living expenses

• Transportation

• Care for her beloved dogs

• Completing the move of house she had begun before the accident

• Ongoing medical costs

Stephanie has remained remarkably strong and positive through unimaginable hardship. Now she needs her community to help carry her while she heals.

If you are able to give — no matter the amount — it will make a meaningful difference. And if you cannot donate, sharing this campaign would mean the world.

On behalf of Stephanie and all those who love and care about her, thank you for helping her to rebuild her life.

Stephanie asked that I share this message: “I am incredibly grateful to be alive and deeply thankful for any support while I recover. Thank you all so very much for your kindness and for sharing this page.”