Support Kelly in Recovery from a Tragic Accident

Hello all, Rebecca/Becky here - Kelly's younger sister. As some may have already heard, Kelly was involved in a devastating accident on Monday, May 22 while on a cycling training ride. She hit a railroad track at the wrong angle and at a high speed and flipped over her handlebars. Had she not been wearing a helmet, she would have been killed on impact (a thought so bone-chilling for those of us that love her, it's hard to even write).

She is currently in ICU at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee with skull fractures and brain hemorrhages, a fractured occipital bone (the base of the skull, where the spine meets the head), carotid artery dissection, multiple facial fractures, including her right orbital bone (with still unknown damage to her right eye), broken ribs, and a broken hand. She will need to undergo several operations and will be hospitalized for the foreseeable future.

As many of your know, Kelly recently launched her own business - a long-running passion that is years in the making - to connect people, especially solo female travelers, to the world around them. While she has health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, it is a very high deductible and minimal coverage after it has been met. Due to the extent of her injuries, she will have tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, even after insurance. To support her dream of "The Goddess Abroad" and to pay her rent, she waitresses at Buttermint in Milwaukee but will suffer significant lost wages with the inability to work.

If you know Kelly, you know she is FIERCELY independent, and rarely (if ever?) will ask for help, despite the fact that she would literally (and has) give anyone the shirt off her back. So I'm going to ask for help on her behalf since she is currently unable.

Whether you've had the privilege of knowing my big sis or not, she is the most genuinely wonderful human being, who cares deeply for the world around her and everyone in it. I am devastated for her - she has endured so many struggles and so much heartache in her short life - most that few even know about. And yet, somehow, like the Phoenix she continues to rise from the ashes each time - stronger and more beautiful. But no one should have to do it alone.

I would love nothing more than to wrap her in the love and support that she so freely gives others and help alleviate the enormous financial burden she is facing. Any and all contributions are so greatly appreciated, as are prayers, love, and healing vibes and thoughts.