Help Savannah after Hit and Run

On the evening of March 1st, my very dear friend Savannah was driving to the CLT airport to pick up her mother when she was involved in a near fatal hit and run car accident. She happened to be driving her mother’s compact SUV which saved her life.

Savannah was traveling on 277 towards Wilkinson Blvd in the far right lane going the speed limit and being very cautious as that area of the highway can be extremely hazardous. A man in a large SUV merged into her vehicle while speeding, clipping her back tire and sending her into a tailspin across the highway. She hit the grass median and her vehicle flipped multiple times ultimately coming to a stop upside down. As the car rolled, Savannah experienced multiple significant impacts of her head against the window and windshield causing a concussion and full blowout of her orbital and cheekbones, essentially shattering the entire left side of her face/skull. Although she was wearing her seatbelt, she received 3 broken ribs from the trauma of the car flipping so many times.

The man who hit her never stopped or slowed down.

Savannah was taken to the emergency room and treated for her injuries, which were so severe they resulted in a multiple day stay in the hospital. Luckily her mother and her mother’s two best friends were able to meet Savannah at the hospital right as she got there. As Savannah’s mother was driven by her friend from the airport to the hospital she passed by the accident scene and saw her totaled vehicle upside down on the grass median. I can not even imagine being a mother and seeing that scene.

Due to the severity of the swelling and bleeding in Savannah’s face, she was released to rest at her mother’s house for a couple of days before having to return to the hospital for major surgery. During this time I was able to visit Savannah several times, including the night she was released. I can not put into words how seeing my best friend, someone I love immensely, in this state made me feel other than completely heartbroken and grateful at the same time. To know how much she suffered, how scared she was, and the pain she will have to continue to endure and process over the years physically, mentally, and emotionally was almost too much to bare. I cried and cried while she could not cry at all due to the pain she was experiencing.

A couple of days later she went back to the hospital to receive surgery in order to rebuild her eye socket and the entire left side of her face. They implanted 3 titanium plates during this reconstruction to replace the bones that were obliterated in the accident. In addition to broken bones, since the accident Savannah has experienced intense double vision which prevents her from seeing anything clearly and often causes extremely debilitating nausea. Post-surgery she again spent a couple more days in the hospital before being allowed to return home to her mother’s house to rest and recuperate. She will continue to stay with her mother for the next couple of weeks but most of her healing process will be done independently as she adjusts to everyday life again.

We are very grateful Savannah survived at all and that she is able to rest and recover in the comfort of her mother’s home, but with severe injuries like hers she will be unable to work or live independently for some time and has a long road ahead of her to return to any kind of normalcy. Not to mention the after effects of this kind of trauma. Her vision could be compromised for a year and might never be the same. Therapy has been highly recommended to process and address the fear of driving and even being in a car. Everyday things we take for granted will be a struggle for Savannah to overcome, but she will overcome them.

As many of you know, healthcare in this country can be wildly unaffordable and unfortunately this is what Savannah is now experiencing. Two separate hospital stays plus treatment of severe injuries and an intensive surgery are expenses that she cannot afford alone. Since this was a hit and run and the man who hit her has not been identified, there is no insurance provider, other than Savannah’s, to cover the damage and medical bills. She is currently working with her own insurance to see what can be covered but the outcome is not looking favorable at this time.

Savannah is one of my closest friends and a dear friend to many in our community and outside of it. She is always there for her friends in any form they need her. I know she has added something beautiful to the lives of those around her because I see it constantly.

Right now Savannah needs our support. She will need funds to assist with medical bills as well as to cover rent, monthly bills, and everyday life expenses while she is out of work.

Please consider donating to Savannah’s gofundme I have started. Any amount you can give is hugely appreciated.

Kara Perry