Help Chloe’s Road to Recovery❤️‍After a Serious Car Wreck

Chloe Brooks is 18-years-old and a senior at Viburnum, MO high school, a little lead mining town in Iron County. She was born and raised there and had just started her senior year and last volleyball season. 

Chloe was in a serious accident on August 24, 2024, out of no fault of her own. The driver lost control of the car and crashed into an oak tree, with four other passengers aboard. Chloe was in the passenger seat where the brunt of the crash occurred. She fractured C2 and L2 vertebrae in her neck and back. Chloe also has a concussion and a brain bleed. The brain bleed, per Dr. Patel, was as bad as it could be, to not require surgery. Her face is busted and bruised, and her teeth in the front are also chipped/broken from hitting the dashboard.

It was about 9:30 pm on that Saturday evening. Chloe and friends were headed from Viburnum to Steelville to hang out with some other friends. No one was drinking, as was also determined by several first people to the scene.

She was discharged a few days ago with many restrictions per the PT, OT, and Barnes hospital doctors. She can only take the neck brace off if laying in bed straight. The back brace is on anytime she’s up, log rolling every time to put it on/off.

At this point, she can’t even bend over to spit toothpaste out. Chloe came home with her aunt and mom to an apartment and is staying in Farmington to recover these first weeks. She cannot drive at this time, which makes sense with all the physical movement restrictions. She has lifting restrictions and is instructed to not even lift a gallon of milk.

She will have to start the process of dental work when she is able since she chipped her front teeth significantly in the wreck when she got her head injury.

Btw :) my name is Tiffany Lloyd Wigger. I’m a volleyball mom with Chloe’s mom, Lissa Brooks, and many other fabulous moms in Viburnum!! My daughter, Natalie, is a senior like Chloe.

Having a background in physical therapy, I know that the braces are essential for her recovery ❤️‍ and I also know that her muscles will have some atrophy from being restricted and braced. Therefore, therapy will be a big part of her healing once the braces can start to come off…from neck exercises and fatigue to trunk/core exercises and fatigue. And on to walking, jogging, running from there. It’s a long process for sure! ❤️‍

She returns to the spinal doctor and neuro doctor on Sept 20th. They will then tell her if her scans of her brain, neck, and back are satisfactory enough to move to the next phase.

JD Brooks and Lissa raised Chloe & her older sister Ashton in Viburnum. JD had a cervical spinal cord injury Chloe’s entire life, so Lissa is very familiar with all the care it takes to care for someone with these types of injuries. They tragically lost JD a couple of years ago.

They hope to keep her mind busy with crafts, making soap etc. She likes plants . She’s had a lot of company including her two volleyball coaches, friends from the wreck, teammates, family, etc. It doesn’t take much to fatigue her and she’s realizing how much she must pace herself.

Senior night for volleyball is Friday, October 18th, 2024. We are already planning for that night and Chloe will get recognized for all her years in volleyball, whether she has the doctor’s permission at that time to play at any level or if she just gets to walk out there with her senior teammates…it will be a great night!

Any donations given will go towards food, future dental work, hospital bills & traveling expenses. If anyone has ideas for essentially a bed-bound young person, please let us know or send anything to 4612 CR 1 Steelville, MO 65565 and a coach, teacher, mom, teammate, or classmate will get it to her!

Money will be deposited in the Viburnum Great Southern Bank, in a savings account and will then be forwarded to Chloe and Lissa as needs arise. Diana Faulkner (her aunt that is vital to Chloe and Lissa) will help me, Tiffany Wigger, be able to distribute it efficiently.

On behalf of Chloe, she would greatly appreciate all the help she can receive during this traumatic time. We’ve included pictures of her happy teenage life even up to volleyball the night before the wreck!! Natalie found the therapy dog in the hospital and asked them to come to Chloe and Abby Wilkinson’s rooms. Abby is the other one in pics. ❤️‍ Let’s let the healing begin girls!!! We love you!!❤️‍

Thank you!

I hope to add progress to this weekly or every other week. Also, I’ll add her aspirations and hopes as she can see healing on the horizon. Senior volleyball night is in 7 weeks!!!