Lucy Barr Sharma
Salt Lake City, UT
Supporting Lucy’s Recovery
If you’re reading this page, it’s because Lucy has been part of your life in some way. On behalf of everyone who loves her, thank you for being here.
The love, encouragement, meals, messages, prayers, visits, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through some of the most difficult days imaginable. We have been deeply humbled by the support of friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and even people who have never met Lucy but have been moved by her story.
We’ve created this page to keep friends and loved ones informed about Lucy’s journey and provide a way for those who wish to support her ongoing care and rehabilitation. We’ll share updates as we’re able so you can follow her progress, celebrate milestones, and continue riding alongside Lucy and our family.
If you’d like to receive updates, simply subscribe to this page.
About Lucy
Lucy has never been someone who sits still.
She’s happiest pedaling up a mountain or skiing down a steep slope. She’ll always pull over to admire a sunset, wander an unfamiliar trail simply because she’s curious where it leads, or convince friends that one more adventure is always a good idea. If you’ve spent time with Lucy, chances are she’s encouraged you to get outside, try something new, or see the beauty in a place you might have otherwise driven right past.
To put it simply, she inspires us all to “Do Epic Sh*t” — a mantra that she wore proudly on her sleeve and one that her friends and family have taken on to encourage us through her journey to recovery.
What Happened
On April 21, while bicycling down Little Cottonwood Canyon Road near her home in Salt Lake City, a deer just doing its thing jumped into the roadway. If you know Lucy, you can hear her saying “Oh ***!” now. The broken ribs and collarbones she could take. What neither she nor her helmet could take was the impact to her head and the severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) that came from it.
Following her initial acute care at Intermountain Medical Center—from their brilliance, love and support, to the little things like helping with pictures on the walls—Lucy was transferred to the University of Utah’s Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital.
While her progress continues to inspire us, recovery from a TBI is measured in months and years, not weeks.
Why We’re Fundraising
As Lucy continues healing, it’s essential that we ensure she has access to the specialized rehabilitation that gives her the best opportunity for continued recovery.
Private insurance provided an important foundation, but as long-term rehabilitation begins, the services that will make the greatest difference become significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Our hope is simple: to remove as many financial barriers as possible so that treatment decisions can be guided by Lucy’s recovery, not by cost.
How Donations Will Help
Funds raised will be used for qualified medical and rehabilitation expenses, including:
Extended inpatient neuro-rehabilitation
Ongoing physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive therapy
Specialized medical transportation
Home health assistance during recovery
Additional rehabilitation equipment, services, and medically necessary care as recovery progresses
We don’t know exactly what Lucy’s recovery will look like over the months and years ahead. What we do know is that every additional therapy session, every extra day of rehabilitation, every opportunity to continue the work she’s already begun gives her the best chance to regain the independence, joy, and adventurous spirit that have always defined her. That’s what this fundraiser is about.
Looking Ahead: Our Recovery Roadmap
To support Lucy’s journey, we have broken our fundraising targets into two vital phases: her immediate transition needs over the next 8 weeks, and her long-term care over the following 12 months.
Phase 1: Immediate Focus (The Next 12 Weeks)
Goal 1: Continued Inpatient Rehabilitation — $225,000
The Need: Comprehensive inpatient neuro-rehabilitation at the University of Utah’s Craig Nielson Rehab hospital—including daily physical, occupational, and speech therapy, medical monitoring, and specialized testing—costs $2,500 per day out of pocket once insurance ends.
The Goal: To extend Lucy’s inpatient stay by 3 months. This will give her brain and body the strongest possible foundation before she transitions from the Craig Nielsen Rehab hospital to her home.
Phase 2: Long-Term Care (The Following 12 Months)
Once Lucy transitions home, she will require a comprehensive network of outpatient care, specialized equipment, and daily safety support.
Goal 2: One Year of Outpatient Neuro-Therapies — $195,000
The Need: Specialized outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapies cost approximately $250 per session.
The Goal: To sustain her progress with 5 sessions per week for each required therapy discipline during her first year at home.
Goal 3: Safe Medical Transportation — $39,000
The Need: Specialized, wheelchair-accessible medical transit costs approximately $150 per round trip.
The Goal: To fund 5 round trips per week for the next year, ensuring Lucy never misses a vital outpatient clinic appointment.
Goal 4: Home Health Aide (HHA) Daily Support — $110,000
The Need: Professional, in-home care to assist with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and cognitive pacing costs approximately $300 per day.
The Goal: To provide daily personal care, safe transfers, mobility support, and structural supervision to keep Lucy safe at home.
Goal 5: Home Modifications, Medical Equipment, & Adaptive Tech — $36,000
The Need: Vital structural and environmental modifications required for long-term accessibility and communication.
The Goal: This funds necessary home modifications (wheelchair ramp, roll-in shower, and grab bars), Durable Medical Equipment (specialized wheelchair and transfer lifts), and advanced TBI technologies (cognitive training software, sensory aids, and an EyeGaze communication system).
As Lucy’s needs evolve, these priorities may change based on recommendations from her medical team.
Thank You
Recovery from a traumatic brain injury is not a journey anyone rides alone.
Whether you choose to donate, share this page, send words of encouragement, or simply continue cheering Lucy on, your support means more than we can express.
Thank you for standing beside Lucy, Pramod, their children, and everyone who loves her. Your generosity, kindness, and hope remind us every day that even in life’s hardest moments, we are surrounded by an extraordinary community.
With gratitude,
Lucy’s family
P.S. Do Epic Sh*t.
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