Taylor Swift donates 50k to brave woman injured while helping accident victims
Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to a woman who was hit by a car while helping others following a traffic accident.
Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to a woman who was hit by a car while helping others.
Ashley Taunton had pulled over during a heavy rainstorm to help someone in need after a traffic accident, but another vehicle hydroplaned toward them and struck the mother of three, whose injuries have already required two major surgeries, with more scheduled.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help Ashley and her family with their daily expenses so they could focus on her health, and Taylor made the generous donation.
The page, which was set up by friend Laura Ortelt, stated: “On Saturday, July 18th, during a severe rainstorm on I-95, Ashley did what she always does: she put others before herself.
“Seeing someone in urgent need after a car accident, she pulled over to help. As [Taunton’s husband Joe] so perfectly puts it, it was just ‘Ashley doing Ashley things.’
“While she was assisting another vehicle hydroplaned and came hurtling directly toward them.
“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.”
Taylor donated through the page and offered her support in an accompanying message.
She wrote: “Wishing you the best recovery possible and sending love to your family!”
Ashley was overwhelmed with gratitude by the donation.
She shared screenshots of the Opalite singer’s message and news of her donation and wrote on Instagram: “This is absolutely mind-blowing and so very humbling.
@taylorswift you are a beautiful soul I wish I could hug you IRL. Maybe the
next time your [sic] in Westerly I live 20 minutes away.
“Thank you Jesus for so many amazing humans. This is unbelievable and I am
overwhelmed with gratitude. To God be the glory!(sic)"
Many of Taylor’s fans have been inspired by her generosity and have also donated to the GoFundMe in $13 increments, with the amount representing the Fate of Ophelia hitmaker’s favorite number.
Taylor is known for her generosity and, on the day she and Travis Kelce got married at New York’s Madison Square Garden last month, they handed out a total of $26 million to various good causes with links to meaningful locations for the couple.
A statement read: “This week, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift donated $26 million to charities across the United States.
“They include the following: City Harvest, New York City; Food Bank For NYC; New York Cares ...”
Other charities that received money from the couple include organizations in Tennessee, where Taylor moved with her family when she was a teenager so she could pursue a career in country music; Rhode Island, where the singer owns a large coastal mansion; and Kansas City, Missouri, where Travis plays football for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Taylor also made a series of donations to charities in cities she stopped in on The Eras Tour, while she also gave the team working on her shows a share of $197 million to thank them for their help in making the 149-show tour such a success.
The crew’s emotional reactions were seen in an episode of her Disney+ docuseries The End of an Era.
While writing letters to her hard-working team, Taylor said: “Bonus day is so important, because setting a precedent with The Eras Tour is so important to me, because people who work on the road, if the tour grosses more, they get more of a bonus.”
