Family starts GoFundMe campaign for Oshkosh North student injured in crash
OSHKOSH ‒ A family is seeking support for an Oshkosh North student after she sustained severe injuries as a passenger in a fatal car crash in Appleton that caused the death of her father.
The family identified Jera Jennings and her father, Tim Jennings, as being in a severe car crash Nov. 20 in the southbound lanes of Interstate 41.
The crash happened after another accident involving a pickup truck in the northbound lanes led to a medical helicopter coming to take a woman who sustained life-threatening injuries to the hospital.
When the helicopter came to the scene, all northbound and southbound lanes of I-41 closed so the helicopter could land. While traffic was backed up, a five-vehicle crash occurred. Jera was injured and Tim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sgt. Andrew Jacobs of the Wisconsin State Patrol told the Oshkosh Northwestern on Tuesday that an investigation of the crash was ongoing and had no further information about the family.
Law enforcement hasn't publicly identified Tim Jennings as the victim, but the family published an obituary Tuesday.
Jera's family set up a GoFundMe to help support her recovery. In the message, it said that she was in the ICU after she suffered a fractured ankle, fractured ribs, a spine injury and severe facial injuries, including one to her jaw that has made it harder for her to communicate.
Her family wrote she faces a "long recovery" both physically and emotionally from her injuries as well as the mental trauma caused by the loss of her father in the crash, but they said she's making "forward progress" in her recovery.
"She is a strong and amazing young woman," the family wrote. "To know Jera is to love her. Please continue to keep Jera in your thoughts and prayers."
Stefanie Moon, Jera's aunt who set up the GoFundMe, said the family decided it didn't want to share more information outside of the fundraising campaign. She thanked the support of people who donated to the GoFundMe, which as of Thursday had raised $10,115, with a goal of $20,000.
Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Injured Oshkosh North student's family starts GoFundMe after crash
