SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — Smyrna High School senior Janae Edmondson continues to recover after a car slammed into her while she was in Missouri for a volleyball tournament over the weekend, costing the young athlete both of her legs.
According to St. Louis Police, Daniel Riley — the man accused of driving past a yield sign and hitting another car, which then hit Janae — should not have been on the road. He is currently facing multiple charges in connection with the crash.
Not only was Janae badly injured, but she had to have both her legs amputated. According to her family, she is still in critical condition, but she is stable.
“Just keep her in your prayers,” said Janae’s older brother, James Edmondson III. “Pray over us and the family. We all appreciate everybody — anybody who’s prayed for her, anybody who’s thought of her, thought of us at this time, as well, and just gonna continue to take it day by day and be there for her as much as we can.”
Donations from across the country have poured into a GoFundMe for Janae, which has already raised more than $315,000, shattering the original goal of $100,000.
The majority of the money is coming from the volleyball community, with teams, parents, and players rallying together to help the Smyrna teen and her family.
One of the largest donations is from a volleyball team out of Chesterfield, Missouri, called Team Momentum Volleyball, which has lost players to car crashes.
“We have lost players in car accidents and want to give Janae all the support we can at this time,” Club Director Heather Cumbee said. “I just pray that she heals well and she will become stronger out of this.”
On the GoFundMe fundraiser page, other clubs are also sharing positive messages. Many teams were competing at the same volleyball tournament as Janae.
“Despite what that might look like, sometimes tragedy reveals the most strength within us,” Cumbee said. “Just know that people all over the country are not going to stop praying for Janae.”
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If you would like to donate to Janae’s GoFundMe, click here.