My name is Elizabeth Massie. I've been friends with Hilary Jeffers for many years. Please read her story:
Hilary is one of the coolest people around. She's got a great sense of humor. She's generous and soft-hearted. She's super smart and is one of the hardest working people I know.
And her life has been very rough.
Back in 1983 she was involved in a car wreck in our hometown of Waynesboro, Virginia - not her fault - that destroyed several cars and sent her crashing through the windshield and embedding her there. The car caught on fire. Her friend pulled her out and placed her on the road. First responders found her and was immediately taken to the hospital.
Her head had been smashed, damaging the bones. She had windshield glass embedded in her face, arm, and body. She had severed tendons and dislocated joints. This left her unable to work for nearly six months, with medicinal drains, and she slowly began to heal. And yet, she never healed completely.
When recovered as much as possible, Hilary returned to work. For the last forty-one years, she has kept at in spite of pain that has increased due to physical deterioration. Her hips, injured in the wreck began “popping out of joint” about a year following the wreck. It has gotten increasingly worse through the years. The discs in her back have deteriorated, causing the vertebrae to push against the nerves. The hip and back problem has caused her to walk with a decided limp and use a cane. Yet, this limp has distorted her body and that has caused additional problems. Also, she now has osteoarthritis that eats away at the cartilage.
In spite of this, she worked for years as a waitress. She served as a talented photographer for six years – taking pictures of NASCAR events in Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Michigan – for Inside Track Magazine. She then returned to waitressing until the restaurant closed and she was unable to find a job due to her pain. At that time, she turned her creative efforts into art. A talented artist, she drew commissioned pieces and made sets of charming gift cards. She crafted lovely scarfs to sell.
Over time, pain from scar tissue in her hand and elbow surgery made it too difficult to draw and knit. This did not stop her. She made herself return to work though only able to part time, at a movie theater and at a local shop, serving customers.
In 2020, she was able to get her left hip replaced with the help of friends. A definite improvement but the right hip remains seriously damaged. Getting around can be agonizing.
Hilary is in dire need of right hip replacement surgery. She can’t put it off any longer. She is on disability and lives very simply. But living alone, she has no one else to help shoulder the bills. With surgery she would have to be off work for a while. And I can promise she will return to work as soon as she can. She’s that hard-headed.
So, here is my appeal. I would only start a GoFundMe for someone who not only truly needs something but truly deserves it.
Can you help? Any little bit is wonderful! You’d be making a huge difference in the life of an awesome lady!
