Taylor Swift recently has made a significant donation to a Rhode Island mom of three who was seriously injured while helping a group of teens, NBC News has confirmed.
The musician made a $50,000 contribution to a GoFundMe in support of Ashley Taunton, who on July 18 pulled over to help those in a car that had skid off the road during heavy rains, according to the fundraising page. While Taunton was assisting the teens in the car, another vehicle lost control on the road.
“In a split-second act of pure bravery, Ashley pushed the other person out of harm’s way, taking the brunt of the impact herself,” according to the GoFundMe page, which was verified by the platform.
Taunton — who sustained a number of injuries and, at one point, needed to be in a medically induced coma — wrote on Instagram Aug. 29 that she was moved by Swift’s generosity and that she was “overwhelmed with gratitude.”
“This is absolutely mind-blowing and so very humbling. @taylorswift you are a beautiful soul I wish I could hug you IRL,” Taunton wrote in her post.
Taunton’s husband Joe Taunton told local NBC affiliate WJAR that Ashley Taunton had been in the car with one of their daughters.
“When they were coming down 95 after exit four, another car in front of her hydroplanes went off into the woods,” Joe Taunton told the local NBC affiliate. “She pulled over… told my daughter to stay in the car and said, ‘Call Dad. I’m going to help the accident.’”
Joe Taunton told the outlet that his wife ran to help the teens. And while she was pulling one of them out of the vehicle, she was hit.
Ashley Taunton, who has been documenting her recovery on social media, shared that she spent 30 days in the hospital and underwent 3 surgeries.
“I can still remember the vehicle hurtling down the grass toward us. I remember pushing a teenager out of the way and praying I would get out of the way too, that didnt happen,” Ashley Taunton wrote in an Instagram post. “There was a huge smash, searing pain and the slow realization that I wasn’t going to get up from this one. Every moment since has been nothing short of miraculous!”
Kimmy Yam is a reporter for NBC Asian America.
