50°
Lakyn Shultz swerved out of the animal's way and was "catapulted into a nearly fatal car accident," said organizers on her GoFundMe campaign.
Rescuers had to remove the 21-year-old from her crumpled vehicle, sending her to the hospital with a broken foot and forcing doctors to remove her spleen and part of her pancreas, those close to her said.
Three years before the crash when she was 19, Shultz founded Furvivors Wonderland near Oxford, an animal sanctuary that grew out of her efforts to save horses from being sold at meat auctions, according to the GoFundMe.
As of 2024, 37 animals call Furvivors home and are anxiously awaiting Shultz's return, according to loved ones.
The 21-year-old has since been discharged from the hospital after a three-week stint but still faces an uphill battle, wrote GoFundMe organizer Iena Spiritwalker.
"Her mom, JoJo, is injecting her meds 4 times a day," Iena wrote. "There are physical therapists, nurses, and occupational therapists that check on her. Her pancreas is leaking fluid, so that is being measured and analyzed daily."
She continued: "Her white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobins are all off and (are) being monitored closely. Her broken foot prevents any weight bearing on it for another 4 weeks."
Organizers are hoping to raise up to $20,000 to help Lakyn handle medical expenses during her recovery.
"Lakyn and her family need time and energy to recover so that she can continue to bless many other animals," Iena wrote.
Click here to support Lakyn Shultz of GoFundMe.com.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Montgomery and receive free news updates.
