For those who don't yet know, our dear Rafaelle Abramovitz (aka Rafi or "Trotter") was in a car accident on Thursday night, March 19th while driving in the Los Angeles area.
Around 11pm anther driver was speeding down an alley in a stolen car with no headlights. This driver hit Rafi, impacting the driver side and "T-boning" her Prius. From what Rafi and her family have been able to learn, the driver was high on meth at the time of the accident.
Rafi sustained the following injuries:
- Pelvis fracture in 2 places
- 1 broken rib
- 2 vertebrae factured
- Severe whiplash
- Lots of bruising from the impact
- Rafi also lost consciousness and blacked out twice when being pulled from the car
She is stable but in a lot of pain (though she is currently on lots of pain medication), having sustained such significant injuries. She was treated at St. Mary's Hospital. Her car was totalled in the accident. As of March 26th, Rafi has been admitted to a physical rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles and is optimistic about her recovery. <3
If you know Rafi at all (even for a few minutes of interaction) you know that she is a kind, caring, warm, empathetic and deeply service-oriented person. Among other things Rafi has dedicated her life to helping and supporting people, whether in outdoor education settings like working for Outward Bound, the Chadwick School, Prescott College, Wildland Trekking and many others. She has supported and changed the lives of countless women, children, and families in Kenya through her non-profit organization. Despite all this life-changing work, she remains admirably humble.
As Rafi begins her journey to recovery we are asking for the support of her loving community in helping with medical costs, funds for a new car, lodging, etc.
Anticipated Costs for Rafi (these are how your donations will be used):
- Cost of medical fees & hospital bills not covered by health insurance
- Cost of physical rehabilitation not covered by insurance
- Vehicle replacement since her Prius has been totalled
- Lodging and living expenses for Rafi, as needed
- Lost income while Rafi recovers from her injuries
- Potential fees related to the other driver, as the family doesn't know whether he is insured
- Potential legal fees (Rafi & her family are also considering whether to press charges against the other driver)
Donation Note:
GoFundMe charges a service fee for donations made through this platform. Therefore, if you have a Venmo account we encourage you to send funds directly to Rafi so that she receives 100% of your donation.
Venmo: @Rafaelle-Abramovitz
(Last 4 digits of her phone number: 0178)
Thank you for your generosity in helping our beloved Rafi get back to good health! Any amount helps.
With immense gratitude,
Caitlin S.
Friend of Rafi's, Naretoi supporter, and fellow OB staff
Organizer and beneficiary
Rafaelle Abramovitz
Beneficiary