Local children asking for help after mom’s near-fatal car accident

The six children of a mom involved in a near-fatal car crash in Rigby, are constantly by her side during recovery on Friday. The crash happened Wednesday evening when she was hit by another driver and was tossed 20 feet in the air.

Valerie Goodwin is in stable condition today and her children are grateful their mom is alive.

“What we understand is that the stop sign was blocked by a tree and she had run the stop sign. The other car had hit her and she went 20 feet in the air and came down on the top of her Ram,” said daughter Chantell Goodwin.

Valerie was pronounced dead at the scene. However, after emergency crews used the Jaws of Life to pry her from the vehicle, they revived her 15 minutes later. Valerie was then airlifted to Eastern Idaho Medical Center.

“Multiple staples in her head and stitches all over her body. She has two shattered elbows and broken arms and she has a few broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a hematoma that had formed in her brain and she’s undergone a few surgeries now,” said daughter Jodicee Goodwin.

The man in the other vehicle is doing well.

“Even after the wreck had happened, after he rolled his car, he got out and ran over to my mom to see if she was OK. So we thank you very much, as well as the EMTs that saved her life,” said Chantell.

The Goodwin family refuses to leave her alone. They’ve been at the hospital so much, they were asked to leave by hospital staff.

“They did kick us out this morning. They told us we can’t camp out here. We do understand, but in the same sense they have to understand that’s out mom and we’re not leaving till she leaves, so they’re kind of just stuck with us (laughter),” said Chantell.

Valerie’s four daughters and two sons are keeping their spirits up because they now know she will recover. They say their mom has always been selfless and eager to help others, so all they want to do is to do what they can to help her.|

The family car Valerie was driving is totaled and the family is struggling trying to figure out how to pay for the medical services that kept her alive. The kids are planning on hosting multiple fundraising events throughout the community to raise money.

Goodwin family GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/28khm3bz

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office say the accident is still an ongoing investigation.