A young Irish woman has been left paralysed after she was seriously injured in a Florida car crash last month.
Elaine O’Halloran was involved in the crash in Wellington, Florida on November 25.
The 24-year-old was the sole survivor in the crash, in which two Americans who were traveling in the same car tragically passed away.
The Sligo native had been working in the US as a groom for Clare show jumper David Blake at Pine Hollow Stables for a number of years, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Mr Blake has since started a GoFundMe to try and raise funds to help with the cost of Ms O’Halloran’s hospital expenses.
He explained on the fundraising page that since the crash, the 24-year-old has had reconstructive spinal surgery but is paralysed from the waist down.
Ms O’Halloran will have to “undergo extensive rehabilition therapy for the foreseeable future”, according to the page, and will need to remain in the local area.
The fundraising page has raised $146,300 (€124,506) out of the $500,000 (€425,499) goal so far.
Mr Blake paid tribute to the “one in a million” young woman on his Facebook page.
He added:
“Elaine has been part of my team for a number of years now.
“Not only has she been a great friend, but one of the most loyal hardworking people I have had the pleasure of working with.
“She truly is one in a million.”
Photo via GoFundMe.
