Help Emily’s Family Stay Close While She Heals

I want to pass along Sam’s gratitude for those who have donated and for those keeping Emily in your thoughts and prayers, it is working.

Today the doctors are doing a treachotomy and giving Emily a feeding tube in preparation of transferring her to a long term care facility. I am heading back to Germany tomorrow, but JoJo has come to Indiana to stay with Sam so she isn’t alone.

Hi, I’m Annie—Emily’s aunt. On July 3rd, Emily was in a serious car accident that changed everything in an instant. She was airlifted to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and admitted to the Neurological Critical Care Unit. Her injuries are severe. She has a traumatic brain injury with brain shearing, a broken neck, two fractures in her back, a broken clavicle, and a broken ankle. She also developed pneumonia.

But over the past two days, we’ve finally had some hopeful signs. Yesterday, Emily started breathing on her own and hasn’t needed the ventilator. And today—she opened her eyes. These are the first real steps forward, and while we know there’s a long road ahead, we’re holding onto that hope.

Most of you know that Emily’s family lives in Kingston, Oklahoma—over 600 miles away. Her mom and other close family members are doing everything they can to stay near her, but the costs of travel, hotel stays, food, and time away from work are adding up fast. We’re raising funds to help ease that burden so they can remain close by during this critical time. Every dollar raised goes directly toward keeping Emily’s support system right where she needs them—by her side.

If you’re able to give or share, thank you. It all helps. We just want to make sure Emily never has to go through any part of this without her family close.

—Emily’s Aunt Annie