Followup: Injured runner out of the hospital; friend starts crowdfunding site

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(June 8th WSB photo)
Five and a half weeks after a hit-run driver or other attacker left a West Seattle woman unconscious and badly hurt by the roadside in Fairmount Ravine – where two Good Samaritans found her (and organized a run on her behalf a week later) – that woman is home from the hospital. This news comes from a friend of hers who has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help with her medical expenses. Ed Lorah worked in hospice services with the victim – whose name we now know is Sarah. He says she has a long road of therapy and recovery ahead before she’ll be going back to work, so he has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for her. You’ll recall that Sarah is a runner and was out for an early-morning run when she was hit; so is Ed, who is training for the Chicago Marathon and dedicating his training to her. You can donate via the GoFundMe site here. Meantime, still no word of a break in the case.

K'lo July 17, 2013 (3:16 pm)

Thank you for the update. I’ve thought about this woman every day, as I use Fairmont often, and have wondered about how she was doing. I wish her continued progress in her recovery!

k2 July 17, 2013 (4:28 pm)

so is she able to tell us what happened?!

margaret from vashon July 17, 2013 (4:44 pm)

As someone who has been blessed by those in service in the hospice community, I was so moved to hear that Red was one of this noble band and has had to endure these challenges. I was so proud of the Good Samaritans and other supporters, and now am again touched that Ed Lorah has set up this GoFundMe page. If each of us shares this page on our Facebook sites, it will go so far towards giving Red and her family more peace of mind in these difficult times. Again, it is good to call Seattle home!

flimflam July 17, 2013 (4:48 pm)

wow – that was a long stay. hoping she can recover fully soon.

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can’t believe someone is out there, content in the knowledge of what they did to this woman. I wish the perp 1000 sleepless nights.

miws July 17, 2013 (5:01 pm)

Thanks for the update!

Continuing to send healing thoughts to Sarah.

Mike

SEA July 17, 2013 (5:30 pm)

Along with what others have said, I can’t believe we live in a country where crowdsourcing has to be the answer to medical bills. A better health insurance system can’t come soon enough.

Best of luck with the recovery!

Sassy July 17, 2013 (6:31 pm)

So very wonderful to hear that she is now at home. I have thought of her often – bless you Sarah in your ongoing recovery. Your family was just be filled with joy. xo

Sassy July 17, 2013 (6:32 pm)

And SEA? I couldn’t agree with you more.

margaret from vashon July 17, 2013 (11:44 pm)

I’d like to also add that, while, I agree that there is a larger conversation to be had about medical bills and insurance and the sorry state of it all generally — I don’t see that as the message here. What I see here, beginning with the WSB coverage of our Good Samaritans and directly progressing into the GoFundMe campaign is the miracle of using modern Social Technology at its very best to expand our neighborhoods and community as we choose to. No amount of insurance compensates families for the losses incurred in situations such as these when lives are violently redirected in a flash. By the power of our social networking we are able to do what was never possible before and to send a viable token of how much we care that this family takes the time that it needs to mend. We may not all be able to donate, but we all can share the link to the page, and — thus — put our hand on Red’s shoulder and say “we are with you.” Miracle.

Kathy July 19, 2013 (2:11 pm)

I run the route almost daily. I wonder if one sidewalk is possible. Although it would definitely change the serenity of the street, it would be much safer. Has anyone ever looked into it? Glad to hear she is out of the hospital.

D. I. D. July 19, 2013 (7:14 pm)

@ Kathy: I suggest you contact the Department of Neighborhoods and discuss with them the options around seeking funding for a sidewalk along Fairmount – http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/districts/southwest.htm
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Sidewalks are really costly, and that is a long stretch of street. Costs go up higher when there are drainage issues to be solved. There may be a way to take 5′ of the existing street surface and separate it from traffic lanes with curbing as a means of lowering the project costs vs building an entirely new sidewalk alongside the existing road. It all depends on the overall width of the exisiting paved street surface and whether there is enough width to accommodate minimum vehicle lanes and the sidewalk. I have seen streets in Bellevue and Beaux Arts Village use this approach, but have yet to see it done anywhere in Seattle. This could be a first. Good luck, I hope you pursue this…

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