Support is pouring in for a B.C. teen injured during a barrel racing accident earlier this month.
Natasha Jones was riding her horse Lacy on Oct. 8 when the horse slipped and Natasha hit her head on the ground. She was rushed to Kelowna General Hospital by air ambulance for emergency treatment.
"She is in good hands and has been treated by some of the top brain injury specialists in B.C.," according to her mother Debbie Jones. "We now have to decide whether she will recover in Vancouver or in Kelowna."
Jones and her family used to live in Big White village before relocating to Grand Forks, where she attends Grade 10 at the local high school. Since her accident, the family has received almost $15,000 in donations to help cope with the life-changing incident.
Natasha is expected to make a complete recovery.
"We're hopeful that she will but there's no guarantee," her mother said. "It's just one of those things, no one really knows with the human brain, there's no timeline for it and there's no guarantee."
The Big White community has rallied to support the family and the GoFundMe organizers hope to raise $25,000 to help with expenses related to her injuries and recovery.
"We're British, we don't like to ask for help, but we're absolutely overwhelmed with the support that we've received, not only the financial support but also the emotional, you know, every single bit of support that we receive, it's just overwhelming," Jones says.
The Dairy Queen in Grand Forks, where Natasha worked, is holding a fundraiser for Natasha on Oct. 29 and all the staff are donating their time to try and help the family.
"We realized it was gonna be a long haul, but we would need some help financially. But also, we want to support Natasha, she's still got dreams. And, you know, we need to be able to help out and help those come true for her," added her mother.
Her barrel racing coach Chelsea Sanders says the sport has been Natasha’s passion for two years.
"Her hard work, determination, loyalty, and her passion for the sport has grown beyond my greatest hopes or expectations. She has proved on many occasions that she is not a quitter and I know with all my heart, that this too will not stop her," Sanders said.
