Support Iryna's Recovery After Snowmobile Accident

Hello, my name is Josalyn, and I’m a close friend of Iryna’s.

Iryna and I met in college, and we got each other through nursing school. Over the years, she has become one of my closest friends, and I’ve witnessed her incredible strength, kindness, and dedication to her family and others. She is a mother of four, a loving wife, a nurse, and a student pursuing her doctorate. Iryna is the kind of person who always puts others first—whether it’s helping a friend, supporting her kids, or caring for her patients. She never asks for anything in return.

Today, Iryna was involved in a serious snowmobiling accident at her home in Minnesota. While she is stable, her injuries are significant. Here’s what she shared with me:

“I was going on a snowmobile ride, and I’m not sure if the throttle got stuck, but as I was slowly pressing the gas, it suddenly shot from 0 to almost what felt like 100 MPH. I tried to brake and let go of the throttle, but it just kept going. I hit the water hydrant, barely missed my car, then hit my kids’ tractor tire sandbox, which lifted me into the air and sent me into a large oak tree. I had my two oldest with me, and thankfully they’re okay. We were all wearing helmets. I have fractured ribs, two fractured vertebrae (L1 and L2), a possible grade 3 laceration to my liver, and blood around my spleen. They’ve admitted me to Sanford in Fargo for monitoring, and they’re saying my recovery will take 6-8 weeks. I can’t lift more than 5-10 lbs during this time. Today involved two ambulance rides, two emergency room visits, two trauma work ups and the stress of what this will mean for us is overwhelming. I feel bad asking, but any help would mean a lot.”

While Iryna would never ask for help, her family is facing a tough road ahead. The cost of medical bills, along with the financial strain of having one less person able to contribute to the household, is significant. She’ll need support in the form of meals, childcare, and other practical assistance while she recovers. That’s where we can step in. Your donations will help cover the medical expenses, support her family while she’s healing, and provide some relief during the next 6-8 weeks of recovery.

Even small contributions will make a huge difference. Whether you can donate to help with medical bills, provide a meal, or offer any other form of support, I know it would mean the world to Iryna and her family.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any help you can offer. Iryna is one of the most caring and hardworking people I know, and right now, she needs us to show up for her, just as she’s always shown up for others. She would also never ask for help which is why I am here and four thirty in the morning making sure to do it for her. Because she would do it for me.