Avery Alderman-Smith

Avery and Stetson were involved in a serious accident on Thursday night, November 6th, when their side-by-side was struck by a car. Both were thrown from the vehicle. Stetson is recovering from a broken femur, broken nose, broken scapula, and several abrasions. He underwent surgery to place a rod in his leg to stabilize the fracture.

Avery sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, along with multiple spinal, facial, and pelvic fractures, as well as abrasions and head lacerations. In the first 19 days following the accident, Avery underwent three brain surgeries and still has a large portion of her skull removed. She spent 34 days in the Trauma ICU at Lakeland Regional Health before being transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for intensive inpatient rehabilitation. The Shepherd Center is a world-renowned facility specializing in traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.

Avery currently receives intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy daily. Despite these efforts, she remains bedridden and wheelchair-bound. She has regained the use of her right arm and is able to communicate through writing. We hope and pray that, with continued therapy, she will one day walk and talk again. Upon discharge, Avery will require full-time care and ongoing therapy.

Avery is an extremely kind and loving young woman. She married Stetson, her high school sweetheart, on December 28, 2023, became a registered nurse in June 2024, and works at Lakeland Regional Health. At just 25 years old, she was only beginning her beautiful life with her husband and their Australian Shepherd, Beau. Beau is currently enrolled in a service dog training program and will be able to assist Avery when she returns home.

No one ever anticipates or prepares for a tragedy of this magnitude. We have started this campaign to help fund a wheelchair-accessible van for Avery’s transportation, as well as additional medical equipment and continued therapy. Avery’s insurance provides only a limited number of outpatient therapy days, far fewer than she will need. Our prayer is that our sweet girl will regain her ability to walk, talk, and once again be the nurse she was born to be.

Family and friends of Avery Alderman-Smith are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with a Catastrophic Injury. Avery has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.