On August 14, while on a volunteer trip at Isha Foundation in Tennessee, Dhakal was in a tragic accident and sustained serious brain injuries, according to a GoFundMe page started for her.
"She is currently in Erlanger Medical Center Chattanooga where she has undergone two brain surgeries and is fighting for her life in a coma. According to the doctors treating her, she has a long way ahead on medical treatment and will have to be admitted to TBI rehabilitation center for at least 1 year."
The organizations that Dhakal has dedicated her time to said that Dhakal and her family have a difficult road ahead.
Dhakal lives at home with her brother and parents while attending school at Northern Virginia Community College, and she has family in Nepal, as well, the page said.
When she isn't in class, she volunteers with multiple groups that are meaningful to her, such as Nepali American Community Center and Nepal America Journalists’ Association, the GoFundMe page detailed.
Friends commented on the fundraising page to express their sympathy for Dhakal as she fights back to health.
The GoFundMe had raised over $7,000 of their $100,000 goal as of August 30.
Click here to donate to Valentina Dhakal's recovery journey.
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