<div><strong>The Story </strong>
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<div>Michele has always been a fighter. From serving in the Marine Corps to raising two kids largely on her own with an unwavering strength, she has spent her whole life showing up for others. She is the rock of her family, the one who quietly shoulders the heavy things so everyone else can breathe easy.
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<div>With deep Tennessee roots, Michele is as grounded as they come. She is a gifted gardener and a lifelong animal lover—traits as natural to her as her beautiful, long red hair. A true-blue horse girl at heart, she is the kind of person who would happily spend hours just sitting in a quiet stall, sharing a peaceful moment with her horse.
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<div>A proud McGavock High alum (Class of ’94) and Austin Peay graduate, she has spent nearly two decades shaping lives across our community. Whether you knew her as Michele Elvis in her younger days, Mrs. Spencer during her earlier years in the classroom, or Mrs. Jones today; from North East High ('08-'09) to West Wilson Middle ('10-'20), Southside Middle ('20-'22), Smyrna High ('22-'24), and now EA Cox Middle—Michele is a beloved teacher who leaves her mark wherever she goes. Teaching, for Michele, has never been just a career; it is a profound calling she was specially made for. “It gives me purpose,” she said laying in a hospital bed, 5 days after the accident. Having navigated a difficult childhood herself, she intimately understands what it is like to be a kid trying to survive a chaotic home life. Because of her own past, she allows school to be a safe haven where her students can catch their breath. She pours her entire heart into her Social Studies classroom, especially when she gets to teach her absolute favorite subject: World History.
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<div>Thursday, May 14th should have been a celebratory time. Fresh off a championship-winning soccer season and just a few days before she was supposed to finish out the school year with her current class of 7th graders at EA Cox Middle, Michele made a split-second, selfless choice.
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<div>While driving to school, another driver unexpectedly pulled out in front of her. Without hesitation, Michele swerved to save that person's life. By absolute grace, she happened to be driving her husband’s 2022 Ram that morning instead of her usual little 2-door Mustang convertible. We’re sure that truck helped save her life as it rolled several times before falling down into a creek off of SR-99. The other person in the accident survived with just minor injuries.
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<div>Michele was life-flighted to Vanderbilt Medical Center, where trauma surgeons performed an emergency 8-hour surgery on her upper spine. This was followed by a second surgery the very next day to repair a lower spine injury. The violent impact of the crash also caused severe damage to her lungs. She spent her first two days intubated and now uses a tracheostomy tube in her neck to help her breathe. At the end of that horrific first night, doctors diagnosed her with quadriplegia after Michele was unable to move anything under her shoulders. They gently told our family she might never breathe—let alone walk—on her own again. Within days, however, she started making miraculous progress, impressing every single medical professional on her team. She is experiencing sensation and "electricity" in her arms and legs. She is even starting to lift her arms and just slightly close her fingers—small, beautiful victories that give us so much hope. On May 28th, she was transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a state-of-the-art facility that specializes in exactly this kind of spinal cord trauma.
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<div>We are holding onto hope, and we are incredibly optimistic about Michele’s recovery. At the same time, the reality of what she is facing is overwhelming. This is going to be a profoundly long and difficult road. The life she knew just a few weeks ago has been completely upended, and the climb ahead of her will require every ounce of the resilience she has built over her lifetime.
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<div><strong>An Immense Thank You </strong>
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<div>Before we ask for anything, we have to pause and express our absolute, deepest gratitude to the village of people who have stepped up in unimaginable ways. To the steady, fierce army of family and friends who have quite literally carried us through these last few weeks: we could not have survived this without you. To the family who dropped absolutely everything to travel and sit by Michele's side in the ICU; to everyone who made sure we ate, sent daily messages of encouragement, and kept our normal lives from falling apart; to the friends who kept us smiling and filled our cups when we were running on empty—<em>thank you</em>. To our incredible employers, managers, and coworkers who allowed us to drop literally everything to be there for Michele. Thank you for picking up our slack, covering for us, and going above and beyond so we could focus on our family. To the lifesavers who stepped in to take care of all the dogs during this time. Knowing the pets were safe and happy gave us such peace of mind.
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<div>We are also deeply moved by the incredible outpouring of love from Michele’s EA Cox Middle School family. Within mere days of the accident, the staff and community rallied together to deliver a massive basket overflowing with treats, blankets, candles, invaluable financial support, gift cards, and the most beautiful, handwritten cards. To the staff, students, and community at EA Cox: your generosity brought so much light into the absolute darkest week of our lives. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for fiercely taking care of Michele the exact same way she has always taken care of her students.
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<div>We also want to shine a massive light on the incredible doctors and medical professionals who have guided Michele through the most critical moments of this journey. To the nurses in the trauma ICU at Vanderbilt Medical Center—specifically Robert, Mike, Airck, Hannah, Alivia, AddiKate, and so many others—thank you. You treated Michele with the same delicate, gentle, and loving care as if she were your very own mother. You fought fiercely for her, and in our eyes, you all truly deserve Purple Hearts for your dedication and service. And while Michele has been at the Shepherd Center for less than a week, we are already absolutely floored by the extreme care and attention we have received from their entire staff. From the doctors, nurses, and therapists to the security team and administrators, every single person has been nothing but kind, hopeful, and communicative. You have immediately made us feel safe in this overwhelming new chapter, and we cannot thank you enough.
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<div><strong>How You Can Help </strong>
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<div>When a tragedy like this happens, the financial reality sets in almost as fast as the medical one. We are setting up this fund to build a bridge over the massive gap between today and whenever insurance settlements finally materialize. We want Michele to focus 100% of her energy on healing. We want to completely insulate her from any stress that may be happening outside her hospital room so she can fight to get her life back.
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<div>All funds raised here will go directly toward:
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<ul>
<li><strong>Medical Bills, Long-Term Care &amp; Extended Rehab: </strong>Covering immediate out-of-pocket costs, future in-home nursing care, and vital outpatient physical and occupational therapies once insurance coverage caps are reached.
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<li><strong>Adaptive Equipment &amp; Technology:</strong> Funding the inevitable future medical equipment she will need, such as customized power wheelchairs, specialized hospital-grade beds, ceiling lifts, and smart-home technology to give Michele back a sense of independence.
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<li><strong>Future Home Modifications &amp; Accessible Transportation: </strong>Preparing for the massive reality of outfitting a home for wheelchair access (building exterior ramps, widening doorways, and remodeling for bathroom accessibility) as well as the eventual need to purchase a highly expensive wheelchair-accessible car.
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<li><strong>Loss of Income &amp; Household Stability:</strong> Helping support Kevin, Michele’s husband, Ashley and Austin, Michele’s kids, and other family members who are taking unpaid time off work to be at her bedside and manage her care full-time.
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<li><strong>Travel, Lodging &amp; Caregiver Support: </strong>Helping our family cover the constant commute between Nashville and Atlanta. We need funds for gas, nearby hotels, and meals so Ashley, Kevin, and others can rotate stays, spend 12+ hour days at the hospital without worrying about cooking, and ensure Michele is never alone.
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<li><strong>Care for Her Dogs:</strong> Helping us secure long-term care, boarding, or specialized home setups for her two young, high-energy dogs, including finding the perfect single-pet environment for her 2-year-old Doberman, Drake. Please message us directly if you know of a place!
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<div>Michele has spent her entire life fighting for her country, fiercely supporting her family, and pouring her heart into her students. Now, it is our turn to be her shield. It is our turn to rally around her. We understand how hard this time is, financially and otherwise, for everyone. We are so deeply grateful for any support you can offer—whether it is a donation, sharing this page far and wide, sending cards and letters, or simply keeping Michele in your heart.
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<div><em>Thank you for showing up for Mrs. Jones!</em>
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