Ashley Taunton had already endured a summer that changed her family’s life when she received an unexpected phone call on the way to physical therapy: Taylor Swift had donated $50,000 to the fundraiser supporting Taunton’s medical bills and household expenses.
The 42-year-old mother of three suffered life-threatening injuries after stopping to help teenagers stranded on a rain-soaked Rhode Island highway. Her husband, Joe, shared the news with her.
“No way. Supposedly Taylor Swift just donated $50,000 to the GoFundMe,” Taunton recalled him saying. “Then my stomach flipped and I got tears in my eyes but also was in disbelief.”
Swift also included a message with the donation: “Wishing you the best recovery possible and sending love to your family!”
Taunton said Swift’s generosity was difficult to comprehend.
“It is so surreal to have someone of her status do something so kind and generous for a regular person,” Taunton said.
Rhode Island woman injured while helping stranded teenagers
The accident occurred July 18 on I-95 South in Rhode Island. Taunton encountered a group of teenagers whose vehicle had hydroplaned in severe weather and stopped to help them.
As she tried to move the teenagers away from danger, another vehicle hydroplaned and struck her.
“It just felt like a big explosion,” Taunton said. “I just remember being on the ground, and I could see my ankle was just hanging there. I went to try to get up, and I couldn’t breathe.”
Her injuries included bilateral internal carotid artery dissection, lacerations to her liver and spleen, broken ribs and a ruptured diaphragm. She has undergone extensive medical treatment and could face as much as a year of physical therapy.
The fundraiser was established to help the family cover expenses not paid by insurance, including groceries, travel, household bills and care for their children and animals.
Taylor Swift’s donation has personal significance for the family
Swift’s gift carried added meaning because the singer was already part of the family’s daily life. Taunton and her husband work near Misquamicut Beach in Rhode Island, close to Swift’s home in the state.
“We can see [Swift’s] house from our work, and her music is always streaming on our device,” Taunton said. “So this was mind-blowing!”
Taunton said the donation would ease the family’s financial burden and allow her to concentrate on recovering.
“These donations will help us manage bills and care for our animals and children so I can focus on healing,” she said.
She also said she hoped to thank Swift in person.
“I still don’t even know how to articulate how thankful we are and I wish I could hug Taylor and everyone who has blessed us.”
Swift’s donation cannot erase the long recovery ahead, but after a summer marked by trauma, it gave Taunton and her family an unexpected moment of relief—one they are unlikely to forget.
