On 28 March 2025, my beautiful niece Carissa was catastrophically injured after being thrown from the back of a motorcycle en route to celebrating her 22nd birthday. A car veered across 3 lanes of traffic on a Denver freeway and changed her life forever. She remains unconscious, and the extent of her brain injuries is currently unknown. It appears that the At-fault driver is not insured, and funds will be used for her medical expenses and those relating to her ongoing care. This will be a marathon and not a race for those close to her.

Just one year ago, Carissa's mother and stepfather, also ending a night of birthday celebration, were also hit by a car, this time while running a red light. Both sustained serious head injuries. Her step-father underwent life-saving brain surgery and was in the ICU for several weeks. They have both literally just recovered to have to relive the nightmare all over again, times 1000. The At-fault driver was also uninsured.

***Updates on Carissa***

Day 1: They removed a large portion of her skull to allow for brain swelling and to save her life. She is a fighter, beating the odds stacked against her.

Day 2: She is stable enough to undergo a 3-hour surgery to set an open femur fracture held in place with a titanium rod. She also has left arm and ocular fractures with serious eye trauma.

Day 3: Carissa remains unconscious but she withdraws from discomfort which shows there is brain activity.

Day 4: "4 days into this journey, we’re all a little quieter. None of us are sleeping well. Please pray that our minds can find rest so we can bring our strongest selves to this fight every day." Carissa's Mom.

Day 5: "Today is typically the last day of the worst swelling. Obviously, that’s an average, so there are outlying cases where the injured brain continues to swell, but we’ll keep praying!" Carissa's Mom

Day 7: "Regardless of how hard it gets, how long this fight goes, I know God has us. In His Hands, praising Him is not dependent on our circumstances. While I can talk about the fear, the heartache, the depth of desperation I’ve experienced. In the last week, there are beautiful moments too. I’ve felt the warmth of the Holy Spirit comforting me. Holding the hands of loved ones as we pray over her together. Through this, old hurts have been healed, old friendships reconnected, and divided families reunited. Even in these dark times, God is here among us. For many, my faith may seem foolish, but in Jesus’ name, I am praying for a full recovery." Carissa's Mom

Day 8: "Thank you for the birthday wishes. Jesus gifted me with the most precious thing I could ask for: another day with all four of my children." Carissa's Mom

Day 10: "My little fighter is still fighting! From childhood friends to high school teachers to coworkers and friends and family today, everyone talks about what a strong woman Carissa is and how they are inspired to be strong for her. The night of the accident, she texted me about how excited she was for her future. That she was learning to be proud of herself. Please continue to pray for her. She is not out of the woods yet." Carissa's Mom