On Saturday, February 21st, our beautiful Keeley was the victim of a violent and completely unprovoked attack while visiting family in the UK. What was meant to be a joyful night out with our aunt and cousins quickly turned into every family’s worst nightmare — Keeley was rushed to hospital in Newcastle, fighting for her life.

Keeley sustained devastating, life-altering injuries. She suffered a fractured skull and a critical blood clot at the front of her brain, requiring emergency neurosurgery. The surgery saved her life, but it has left her with a significant scar stretching from her forehead to the back of her head. She is also battling severe brain bruising, swelling, and extensive bruising around both eyes.

Her time in hospital has been grueling. Keeley has already required a blood transfusion due to dangerously low red blood cell counts. We are facing heartbreaking uncertainty about whether she will fully regain hearing in one ear. She remains under constant monitoring and requires intensive pain management, and we still do not know when she will be discharged.

Even once she is released from hospital, her recovery will be long and complex. Doctors have advised that she remain in Newcastle for ongoing specialist appointments and physiotherapy for an unknown period of time.

Keeley had been so excited for this trip. She was planning to travel throughout the UK to see more family, including our grandparents. She had flights booked to visit us in Calgary on her way home to Nanaimo, and she was set to travel to Asia at the end of March with her best friend. All of those plans have now been cancelled, and the emotional toll has been devastating.

Recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not just physical — it is emotional and financial as well. Being so far from home in Canada adds another layer of stress and uncertainty that no one should have to face alone.

Our focus right now is Keeley’s healing. The last thing we want her or our family worrying about is the overwhelming financial burden this tragedy has created. Funds raised will help cover:

• Ongoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation

• Mental health counselling for PTSD and trauma recovery

• Accommodation near the hospital upon discharge

• Travel costs and lost wages for family members supporting her at her bedside

• Legal fees related to pursuing justice

• Long-term financial support while Keeley is unable to work

Keeley is a beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend. She is strong, kind, adventurous, and full of life. She deserves the chance to heal without the weight of financial stress and to one day return to the travelling and life she loves so much.

If you are able to donate, share, or simply keep Keeley in your thoughts, our family is deeply grateful. Thank you for standing beside us during the darkest chapter of our lives.