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Taylor Swift donates $50,000 to GoFundMe campaign for Connecticut woman injured in crash
A Selfless Act That Nearly Cost Her Life
Ashley Taunton, a 42-year-old mother of three from Ledyard, Connecticut, was driving along I-95 in Rhode Island on July 18 when she stopped to help three teenagers whose vehicle had hydroplaned during heavy rain.
While Taunton was helping the teens, another vehicle lost control and came toward them. Taunton pushed one of the teenagers out of the vehicle's path before being struck herself.
She suffered life-threatening injuries, including multiple broken ribs, internal bleeding and a ruptured diaphragm. Taunton spent 30 days in the hospital and underwent three surgeries before returning home to continue her recovery.
Swift's Unexpected Gift
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help Taunton and her family manage medical expenses and the long road ahead.
Then came an unexpected donation from Swift.
The singer contributed $50,000, along with a personal message wishing Taunton the best possible recovery and sending love to her family. The donation was the largest contribution to the fundraiser.
Taunton and her family were reportedly stunned when they learned who had made the donation.
The support has helped the family cope with the financial burden of Taunton's recovery, while friends, neighbors and strangers have also rallied around them. The fundraiser has now surpassed $90,000 from more than 1,200 donors.
A Remarkable Connection
The story has an even more surprising twist: one of the teenagers Taunton helped, Vinny O'Rourke, turned out to be the son of one of her longtime friends.
For Taunton, what began as a decision to simply stop and help someone in need has changed her life—and now her story has received support from one of the world's biggest pop stars.
Swift's donation is giving the family another reason to feel hopeful as Taunton continues her recovery.
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