Taylor Swift has left Rhode Island mother Ashley Taunton emotional after donating $50,000 to her GoFundMe.
The 42-year-old Connecticut mom of three was gravely injured in July after she was struck by a car while trying to help teens who had crashed their vehicle amid inclement weather.
‘It is so surreal to have someone of her status do something so kind and generous for a regular person,’ Taunton told People magazine.
She added about herself and her husband Joe, ‘We work at a hotel on Misquamicut Beach [in Rhode Island]… We can see [Swift’s] house from our work, and her music is always streaming on our device. So this was mind-blowing!’
Filled with gratitude as she recovers, Taunton said, ‘I am in awe of how God works and how so many can be the hands and feet of Christ to bring triumph from tragedy.
‘It has been an overwhelming blessing and we are so grateful.’
Taylor Swift has left Rhode Island mother Ashley Taunton emotional after donating $50,000 to her GoFundMe; pictured in 2025
The 42-year-old Connecticut mom of three was gravely injured in July after she was struck by a car while trying to help teens who had crashed their vehicle amid inclement weather
With help from Swift’s generous boost, Taunton’s GoFundMe, set up by her friend Laura Ortelt, has now reached over $91,000 of a $110,000 goal.
She was driving on Rhode Island’s I-95 South on July 18 when she saw the aftermath of an incident where a teenage driver’s vehicle had hydroplaned.
Taunton previously told People that the three teens were a ‘little bit banged up’ when she approached them from where she’d left her own car, containing her youngest daughter.
Amid her quest to get the kids safely out of the rainy weather conditions, she was hit by an oncoming car that also hydroplaned.
Her injuries included bilateral internal carotid artery dissection, liver and spleen lacerations, multiple rib fractures and a ruptured diaphragm.
Taunton told People she learned of the pop star’s donation while in route to a physical therapy appointment.
When friends contacted her husband with the news, she said she saw his face drop.
‘He said, “No way. Supposedly Taylor Swift just donated $50,000 to the GoFundMe,”‘ she recalled. ‘Then my stomach flipped and I got tears in my eyes but also was in disbelief. My physical therapist was shocked, and my husband had to walk outside and gather himself,’ she shared.
With help from Swift’s generous boost, Taunton’s GoFundMe, set up by her friend Laura Ortelt, has now reached over $91,000 of a $110,000 goal
Taunton pictured with her husband Joe
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward medical bills and other expenses.
‘These donations will help us manage bills and care for our animals and children so I can focus on healing,’ the certified nursing assistant told the outlet.
She added, ‘I still don’t even know how to articulate how thankful we are and I wish I could hug Taylor and everyone who has blessed us.’
‘It just felt like a big explosion,’ Taunton previously told People about the horrific accident. ‘I just remember being on the ground and I could see my ankle was just hanging there. I went to try to get up and I couldn’t breathe.’
Taunton’s daughter rushed to hold her hand as they awaited medical assistance.
It’s unclear how much time Taunton will need to recover from her injuries, but she expects that her physical therapy could take up to a year.
