Erin Woodsmall, a lifeguard at the Jackson county recreation center and an active member of the sapphic author community, was involved in a head on auto collision when a truck recklessly took a turn into her lane. At 6am on 11/06/25 she was rushed to Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC with fractures to her neck, spine, pelvis, a dislocated fractured wrist, a compound break to her femur, internal bleeding, and multiple lacerations. She is undergoing multiple operations and is improving in ICU. Her wife, Ev, is staying with her during this traumatic time to take care of her full time.

Current expectations are she won’t be home for at least a month as she enters intensive inpatient physical therapy to be able to walk again. The doctors have stated it will be at least three months until her leg will bear weight.

While insurance will hopefully cover the medical side, both Erin and her caretaker wife will have lost wages and need help with the basic costs like food and gas that come from living at the hospital.

We need help. It’s going to be a hard year filled with physical therapy. We live a hour from Asheville and local medical care is sparse to nonexistent in our rural area. Complications could arise due to the sheer amount of damage to Erin’s body. It’s a blessing she survived, and we know she’ll fight to be strong again. Family and friends have already stepped in to help with her children and our pets while we are at the ICU. We are asking for financial help to get us through until we can both work again.

EDIT: I’ve just found out because Erin has not been at her job long enough she is not eligible for FMLA and we will lose our medical insurance on 11/21. I’m working with people to see what can be done. While her medical bills for this accident should be covered by the auto insurance anything not related will have no coverage. I have raised the amount of the gofund me to help cover additional expenses.