Support Kimmy's TBI Recovery

Hi! My name is Annette and I am fundraising for my friend Kimberly. Here is her story:

On August 11, 2022, Kimberly was forced off the road during a terrifying car accident involving a drunk driver. The intoxicated driver was subsequently arrested on scene with a DUI charge by the officers who responded to Kimberly’s 911 call.

The quick action taken by Kimberly to avoid a head-on collision with an impaired person going against the flow of traffic resulted in damage to her vehicle, bruises and injuries to her body, neck and spine as well as misaligned and chipped teeth. It also most certainly saved both her own life and the life of the other driver but not without expense. Diagnostic testing revealed a most devastating Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) called a Diffuse Axonal Injury(DAI). There is no brief explanation of the complexities of this type of TBI and a full recovery is not guaranteed, but certainly possible. However, it is a lengthy and complex road when it comes to brain healing. Her life these past 10 months has consisted of close to 300 doctor, dentist, orthodontist, chiropractor, specialist, neurologist, neuropsychologist, brain lab, imaging, hospital and lawyer visits becoming a full-time struggle for recovery.

In addition, there is time and cost involved, as much of the brain rehab and types of physical therapies she needs are not covered under her insurance and are incredibly expensive out of pocket, one example being Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Kimberly has not worked since mid-October losing tens of thousands of dollars in income, maxing out savings and credit cards to pay monthly living expenses. She will not receive any restitution in the criminal proceedings from state-sponsored funding as the victim of a DUI due to the no collision, no-fault FL statute.

She is still considered to be in a moderately severe post-concussive state. She has made much improvement but continues to suffer in some degree from a multitude of cognitive, physical, vision, speech, neurological, vestibular, sensory and memory impairments. The list of struggles she faces daily is extensive, exhausting and complex.

It is crucial for Kimberly to be able to receive continued brain and other therapies to heal from these traumas. Further diagnostic testing will be needed to regulate her progress after she receives at the minimum another 2-3 months of intensely focused and time-consuming daily treatment which is on pause due to her financial restraints. The sooner she can resume these treatments, the higher the chance of full recovery. The burden of providing for her increased daily living expenses has adversely affected her healing process. She wants to return to a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle sooner than later to avoid any further regression in her brain function and physical state. At the time of her accident, she was working full time, enjoying life, and thriving in her contract position as a beverage ambassador in hospitality.

Kimberly continues to be a fighter but needs personal, emotional, and financial support. There are glimpses of her humor and zest for life behind her immediate panic and frustrations regarding her current limitations.

To bring awareness to her situation, minimize her stress, treat her TBI and other medical concerns and allow her to focus solely on her recovery, this Go Fund Me page was created. Your donations will be used directly to help cover her financial needs, including past due, current and future out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses, immediate living expenses, loss of income, and anything else that may arise over the course of her healing journey. Kimberly is overwhelmed and hopeful to have the opportunity to take back her life. This page will continue to be updated with her progress.

Please join me in supporting her and lifting her up. If you are unable to donate, we are also very grateful for “shares” and prayers of strength, healing, and encouragement for Kimberly and her family as they too struggle to support her from a distance.