Family seeks community support for Idaho Falls woman who ‘shattered’ face in crash
By Lisa Lete, EastIdahoNews.com
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IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (eastidahonews.com) — An Idaho Falls woman well known to many as a hardworking wife, mother and longtime Applebee’s server is recovering from catastrophic facial injuries after a crash on U.S. Highway 20 on Saturday. Now, her family is calling on the community for help.
Tina Day was driving to her parents’ home in Rexburg when she lost control of her truck on the Ucon exit, according to her sister-in-law, Melissa Voss.
Day, who was alone in the truck, was headed to help her parents in Rexburg make the handmade wooden board games Battle of the UFOs, which they sell online.
Voss said Day’s truck hit black ice, spun in the opposite direction and collided with another vehicle. The impact caused the truck to roll, and Day’s face hit the steering wheel, resulting in devastating injuries.
“She shattered her upper palate, teeth, jaw, eye socket, nose and cheek,” Voss told EastIdahoNews.com. “She also severed a few tendons in her hand.”
Day has already undergone a five-hour surgery during which doctors wired her jaw shut, repaired facial fractures and operated on the damaged tendons in her hand.
She also received a tracheostomy to help with breathing. Doctors are also using a GJ feeding tube, due to the extensive injuries to her mouth and face.
“They basically have to restructure her entire face,” Voss said. “She’ll be in the ICU for a while. Thankfully, outside of a minor brain bleed, there were no internal injuries.”
Day is scheduled for additional surgery on Friday and will require several more procedures in the coming weeks.
A wife to Mike Day and mother of three sons Brandon, Calvin and Carsen, Day is described by her family as hardworking, devoted and deeply loved by those who know her.
“She is never one to ask for help,” Voss said. “She is caring, loving, fun and just such a sweet person.”
With a long recovery ahead and mounting medical bills, Voss has organized a GoFundMe to help support the family.
“If you can spare anything to help her, we so appreciate it,” Voss said. “And if you can’t, please keep her in your prayers and share.”
Eastidahonews.com‘s attorneys advise the station to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.
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