Our Edie!
Donation protected
Our dear friend Edie Perkins is a one-of-a-kind person. She is a kind, adventurous, fiercely independent woman and athlete whose life changed irremediably in a few seconds as the sun rose over the ridge one morning a few weeks ago.
Edie needs our help now.
Last year, Edie moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue a new job opportunity and embrace the free-spirited, outdoor life that perfectly complements her passions: long-distance cycling and marathon running.
On April 20, 2017 while on a solo morning bike ride, Edie was hit head-on by an SUV. The driver was momentarily blinded by the sun. Edie broke seven vertebrae in her neck and back and 11 ribs; her legs were torn up, her spine crushed. Her bike helmet is in eight pieces; it is truly a miracle we still have her with us.
Since the accident she has had several emergency surgeries. Edie is currently paralyzed from the chest down as a result of her spinal cord injury. She still wears the metal halo brace, to help her heal. As she said, she is super-lucky to have "all her marbles". And she really does.
Recovery from this kind of accident is often painful, lonely, and overwhelming. In addition to a daily regimen of PT, OT and other therapies, Edie is handling mountains of paper work, insurance claims, legal issues, and worrying who will care for her beloved cats. We expect her insurance settlement will barely cover a year of her recovery. And her expenses mount by the day.
According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the yearly expense for someone with a spinal cord injury like Edie’s (paraplegia) is $113,423. Many expenses and treatments are simply not covered at all: home modifications to accommodate a wheelchair; adapting a vehicle to be driven with hand controls; ongoing out-of-network healthcare needs; and the best rehab she can get.
If you know Edie you know she is dead set on 100% movement of her arms and hands and mastering that wheelchair (you know she will). Every day she progesses a little further: pulling herself up in bed, getting in and out of a wheelchair. Paralysis and no feeling in her core makes this unfathomably hard and slow work. She's told us that every night she thinks about the increments of progress she is making. It is her hope that one day she will be able to move to a rehab facility that specializes in spinal cord injuries. After that she will move to a ‘transitional’ house where she will learn – living with others with similar injuries – how to regain her everyday freedom and independence: cooking, bathing, driving, and living her best life.
Reminder: we’re talking about Edie. Edie Perkins! The woman who some years ago got on her bicycle in Portland, Oregon one day then RODE TO BROOKLYN!!
We have all said it to each other since we heard about the accident: if anyone can do this, Edie can. If anyone can face the hardest physical challenge of their life, Edie can. If anyone can find the strength, Edie can.
Her grit and focus humbles us all.
Edie deserves the best. We started this fund because of you. We created this fund in response to all the messages: from those who have run with her, cycled with her, lived with her, worked with her, and loved her, and want to help.
Every single donation will go directly to Edie and will be used at her discretion for her recovery. We want to ensure she gets the best from our health care system, insurance company assistance, or a tricked-out racing wheelchair. We are here to support her as she continues her long-held tradition of sailing out front, while we eat her dust, as she carries on with the determination we’ve come to expect.
We want to ensure that she has the best chance to recover to be her best body and best self. It will be long; and it will be grueling.
Please show her the love. Donate Now.
Thank you for all the kindness, prayers, visits, and positive messages so many of you have sent and shared. to Edie. Please keep up the missives of support and motivation to her. She truly loves hearing from each of you. We promise to keep you updated regularly on Edie’s progress. We know how many people are rooting for her.
Let's do this and help Edie regain an independent, active, and beautiful life.
Your donation today will ensure that can happen.
With endless gratitude,
Rose Else-Mitchell, Kim Goodman, and Edie
XXX
[email redacted]
Edie needs our help now.
Last year, Edie moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue a new job opportunity and embrace the free-spirited, outdoor life that perfectly complements her passions: long-distance cycling and marathon running.
On April 20, 2017 while on a solo morning bike ride, Edie was hit head-on by an SUV. The driver was momentarily blinded by the sun. Edie broke seven vertebrae in her neck and back and 11 ribs; her legs were torn up, her spine crushed. Her bike helmet is in eight pieces; it is truly a miracle we still have her with us.
Since the accident she has had several emergency surgeries. Edie is currently paralyzed from the chest down as a result of her spinal cord injury. She still wears the metal halo brace, to help her heal. As she said, she is super-lucky to have "all her marbles". And she really does.
Recovery from this kind of accident is often painful, lonely, and overwhelming. In addition to a daily regimen of PT, OT and other therapies, Edie is handling mountains of paper work, insurance claims, legal issues, and worrying who will care for her beloved cats. We expect her insurance settlement will barely cover a year of her recovery. And her expenses mount by the day.
According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the yearly expense for someone with a spinal cord injury like Edie’s (paraplegia) is $113,423. Many expenses and treatments are simply not covered at all: home modifications to accommodate a wheelchair; adapting a vehicle to be driven with hand controls; ongoing out-of-network healthcare needs; and the best rehab she can get.
If you know Edie you know she is dead set on 100% movement of her arms and hands and mastering that wheelchair (you know she will). Every day she progesses a little further: pulling herself up in bed, getting in and out of a wheelchair. Paralysis and no feeling in her core makes this unfathomably hard and slow work. She's told us that every night she thinks about the increments of progress she is making. It is her hope that one day she will be able to move to a rehab facility that specializes in spinal cord injuries. After that she will move to a ‘transitional’ house where she will learn – living with others with similar injuries – how to regain her everyday freedom and independence: cooking, bathing, driving, and living her best life.
Reminder: we’re talking about Edie. Edie Perkins! The woman who some years ago got on her bicycle in Portland, Oregon one day then RODE TO BROOKLYN!!
We have all said it to each other since we heard about the accident: if anyone can do this, Edie can. If anyone can face the hardest physical challenge of their life, Edie can. If anyone can find the strength, Edie can.
Her grit and focus humbles us all.
Edie deserves the best. We started this fund because of you. We created this fund in response to all the messages: from those who have run with her, cycled with her, lived with her, worked with her, and loved her, and want to help.
Every single donation will go directly to Edie and will be used at her discretion for her recovery. We want to ensure she gets the best from our health care system, insurance company assistance, or a tricked-out racing wheelchair. We are here to support her as she continues her long-held tradition of sailing out front, while we eat her dust, as she carries on with the determination we’ve come to expect.
We want to ensure that she has the best chance to recover to be her best body and best self. It will be long; and it will be grueling.
Please show her the love. Donate Now.
Thank you for all the kindness, prayers, visits, and positive messages so many of you have sent and shared. to Edie. Please keep up the missives of support and motivation to her. She truly loves hearing from each of you. We promise to keep you updated regularly on Edie’s progress. We know how many people are rooting for her.
Let's do this and help Edie regain an independent, active, and beautiful life.
Your donation today will ensure that can happen.
With endless gratitude,
Rose Else-Mitchell, Kim Goodman, and Edie
XXX
[email redacted]
Organizer and beneficiary
Rosamund Else-Mitchell
Organizer
New York, NY
Edie Perkins
Beneficiary