Aid Karina Gonzalez's Family During Her Final Days
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Join Us in Supporting Karina Gonzalez’ Family During Her Final Days
Update:
December 29, 2024
Dear family and friends,
Our hearts are heavy as we share the news of Karina Isabel Gonzalez' passing. Karina passed away last night Saturday, December 28. She took her last breath at 8:56 pm surrounded by loved ones.
Thank you to everyone who was a good friend to Karina. We are forever grateful for the impact you made on her life and the impact she made on ours.
Thank you for your on going support as her family goes through this heartbreaking time.
Your donation is truly appreciated as we begin planning the memorial service and continue the investigation.
Karina's mom, Reina, is profoundly grateful for all of your support. Thank you each and everyone for your kind words and prayers.
December 24th, 2024
It is with heavy hearts that we share our beloved Karina Isabel Gonzalez, a cherished mother, daughter, cousin, niece, friend, coworker, and classmate, is nearing the end of her journey and is currently in hospice care, surrounded by her family and loved ones. At just 28 years old, Karina, devoted mother to 7-year-old Gisselle, is in a hospice home, and we ask for your support as we navigate this profoundly difficult time.
In the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, Karina was critically injured in a devastating hit-and-run incident. According to police, Karina was a passenger in a pickup truck traveling southbound on I-15 near Lake Mead Boulevard when the driver lost control, veering off the pavement and overcorrecting. The truck spun out of control, striking a concrete median barrier. Karina and the driver exited the vehicle to assess the damage, but in a tragic turn of events, another vehicle, traveling southbound, struck Karina directly on her head. The driver of that vehicle fled the scene immediately leaving Karina with life-threatening injuries. The case is still under active investigation.
Karina sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures to the left side of her face, a broken wrist, and lung contusions. She underwent an emergency craniectomy to remove blood and reduce pressure on her brain, which had shifted 12-15 millimeters, causing a diffuse axonal injury. This widespread damage to the upper brain’s nerve connections severely impaired its function.
Karina’s unwavering passion for helping others had previously led her to register as an organ donor. After 3 weeks at UMC Trauma Center’s Surgical Intensive Care Unit, with no signs of progress in her brain activity, it was decided that if she could no longer breathe on her own after the ventilator tube was removed, her organs would be donated to save lives. But in a testament to her incredible strength and resilience, Karina defied the odds and was able to breathe on her own.
Due to the lack of significant progress in Karina's brain activity, doctors have informed her parents that there is less than a 1% chance of her regaining consciousness, with an even smaller likelihood of her being able to walk or speak again. Furthermore, any available surgical interventions to prolong her life carried significant risks of fatal complications.
After much thought and consultations with her doctors, after days of heartbreaking discussions, and with profound sorrow the family made the most agonizing decision of their lives: to transition Karina to comfort care, allowing her to rest peacefully without further suffering.
Karina was deeply committed to her dream of serving others and was proudly participating in the Clark County Fire Department's Beyond Explorer program. She recently achieved certification at the Emergency Medical Service Training Center of Southern Nevada in June 2024, bringing her one step closer to her goal of becoming an ambulance paramedic—an aspiration she trained and worked tirelessly towards. Her passion for helping others and making a difference in her community was an inspiration to all who knew her.
Please join us in supporting Karina’s family during this unimaginable loss, which has struck at what should have been the happiest time of the year.
This sudden and heartbreaking tragedy has not only left them grieving but also facing significant financial hardship, as Karina was a key provider for her young daughter and elderly mother, Reina, who had been a devoted caregiver to granddaughter, Gisselle. Your kindness and support can help ease their burden as they navigate this incredibly difficult journey.
Funds raised will help cover funeral expenses, legal fees, and both the immediate and long-term needs of the family as they navigate this incredibly painful period. Any donation, no matter the size, would mean the world to her family.
We profoundly thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support as we navigate this challenging time.
Click to view:
Click to view:
News Video Screenshot of Freeway Video Capture
News Video Screenshots of Accident
Karina Isabel Gonzalez
Day of breathing tube removal, Karina and Mom Reina, by her side everyday:
Her mom Reina, was taken to the surgical bay for the removal of her breathing tube, with the possibility of donating her organs if she was unable to breathe on her own:
Karina Training with Clark County Fire Department's Beyond Explorer program:
Karina Training at EMS Training Center of Southern Nevada:
Karina's Baby Shower:
When baby Gisselle was born:
Karina and her Daughter Gisselle:
Karina's Mom Reina with her Granddaughter Gisselle, seeing her for the first time in 10 days after the accident:
Organizer and beneficiary
Stefanie Coronado
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV
Reina Isabel Gonzalez
Beneficiary