Taylor Swift donates $50,000 to injured mother after heroic teen rescue

Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to fundraiser for Ashley Taunton, who was injured while helping teenagers after crash

Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to a GoFundMe campaign supporting Ashley Taunton, a 42-year-old certified nursing assistant who was seriously injured while helping teenagers following a road incident in Rhode Island.

Taunton was driving on I-95 South on July 18 when a group of teenagers hydroplaned during a rainstorm. While she was helping them on the side of the road, another vehicle reportedly hydroplaned and struck her.

The GoFundMe campaign said Taunton pushed another person out of the vehicle's path, taking the impact herself. It added that she underwent two major surgeries within 18 hours, with further procedures scheduled.

Swift's apparent $50,000 donation was made to the fundraiser, which is helping cover medical expenses not covered by insurance, household bills, travel costs for hospital visits and groceries for Taunton's three children.

Swift also left a message on the fundraiser on August 28, writing, "Wishing you the best recovery possible and sending love to your family!"

The donation helped the campaign raise more than $74,000 as of August 29. Fundraiser organiser Laura Ortelt said, "This is certainly a huge surprise and the generosity of Taylor is well known and appreciated."

Taunton said she learned about Swift's contribution after reflecting on the difficulties her husband, Joe Taunton, and their children had faced while she was unable to work.

"I'm so incredibly humbled and grateful that God uses people to bless us too much and that this story made it to people like Taylor Swift," she told USA TODAY. "I wish I could hug Taylor in real life just to tell her how grateful I am."

Taunton has described the crash as feeling "like a big explosion" and said she initially feared she would die. She suffered several serious injuries and could face up to 12 months of recovery, including physical therapy.