An Arizona grandmother was seriously hurt in a rare workplace accident and is now asking for help.
A few years ago, Lynn Knutson was working at a grocery store when she helped a customer carry their purchases to their car. The woman accidentally dropped the back hatch of her SUV on Knutson’s head, she told KTVK.
Knutson suffered a serious brain injury from the accident. The woman drove away, and Knutson says she hasn’t heard from her since.
Now 63, Knutson is still recovering and has little memory of the incident. She has experienced headaches, slurred speech, memory problems, sensitivity to light, and trouble walking. She has visited the hospital many times for treatment.
Because of the accident, Knutson’s medical bills have been increasing, according to KTVK. Some of her bills were first covered by workers’ compensation, but the case was later dropped.
Knutson is now asking for help through an online fundraiser on Help Hope Live, a website for community-based fundraising for people with medical expenses and related costs.
On the site, she shared that she recently returned from “yet another medical trip to Chicago,” where she met with specialized doctors she cannot access in Arizona.
“It’s a much longer process because I can only go to Chicago a couple times a year due to the expense,” she wrote.
Doctors are working to restore her primitive reflexes, which were “severely” affected by her brain injury. She also hopes to be “assessed for Cervical Ligament Instability,” a complicated process. One doctor said only a few specialists in the world can provide the treatment, which would cost her out of pocket.
“Luckily, he can recommend one in Utah,” she wrote, “but that [is] still a daunting venture.”
So far, more than $3,800 has been donated to her fundraiser. Her son, Tyler, said he is moved by strangers’ generosity, according to KTVK.
“It’s always heartwarming to see people give out of their own pockets to help others,” Tyler said. “I would definitely like to see her get the funding she needs to get the treatment she needs because treatment is expensive. My hope is that she gets better, that’s what I ultimately want to see.”
Knutson is taking recovery one step at a time.
“Each day, while a challenge, is an opportunity to actively practice gratitude,” she wrote on Help Hope Live.
