Eden Prairie triathlete critically injured in Florida
An Eden Prairie, Minnesota, woman is critically hurt after being hit by a car while competing in a triathlon in West Palm Beach, Florida. FOX 9’s Maury Glover spoke with her loved one who say efforts are underway to support Ashleigh Whitton.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FOX 9) – A 45-year-old Eden Prairie woman was critically hurt Saturday after being hit by a car while she was competing in a triathlon in West Palm Beach, Fla., authorities say.
Ashleigh Whitton critically injured during triathlon crash
What we know:
According to a GoFundMe to raise money for her recovery, Ashleigh Whitton was riding her bike during a triathlon on Sunday, April 12, when a car entered the partially-blocked course and hit her. She was airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The GoFundMe states doctors performed emergency surgery to stabilize her spinal cord, describing the injury as among the most severe possible. She is currently paralyzed from the neck down and remains in the ICU on a ventilator. Whitton is also battling brain swelling and bleeding, and has been placed in a medically-induced coma to help her brain and body heal.
Doctors are unsure if she will regain the ability to breathe on her own. There was a small sign of hope when Whitton briefly woke and responded to her husband, Patrick, by blinking on command, showing she could hear and process his voice.Â
Why you should care:
The GoFundMe describes Whitton as a strong and selfless mother, stepmother and wife. Her daughter Sophia, who attends NYU, has traveled to Florida to be with her, and her husband Patrick remains by her side. The next phase of Ashleigh’s recovery is critical, with doctors needing time to determine the full extent of her injuries and what her future care will require.Â
What they’re saying:
Friends describe Whitton as someone who inspires others to move their bodies and say she became a triathlete a couple of years ago after her daughter left for college.Â
“She is a warrior. She embodies that word,” said fellow fitness instructor Christine Dahl. “Still, even sitting here now, it doesn’t seem real. I think you just go through the motions, and you pray, and you send love, and you move because she would want you to move.”
Friends say Whitton has shown some signs of being aware of her surroundings, which they see as a positive step.Â
“So she has shown signs of being, you know, cognizant and knowing what’s going on. So that’s a really big positive from where it was before,” said Whitton’s friend Jen Greene.Â
Whitton’s friends and family are rallying around her, saying, “Watching people succeed, supporting them, loving them. That is everything she stands for. And it’s our turn to send that back to her.”
Family rallies for support
What’s next:
Whitton is expected to remain in the hospital for weeks, followed by extensive rehabilitation and long-term care. The family faces significant medical and living expenses during her recovery. A fundraising effort has been launched to help cover medical and ICU costs, long-term care and rehabilitation, breathing support, family travel and support needs, and other unexpected expenses.
The GoFundMe has already raised more than $30,000.
The Source: This story uses information from a GoFundMe created Ashleigh Whitton’s family and friends, and an incident report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.