‘We just have to stay strong for her.’ Centre County teen injured in fire, GoFundMe started
A Spring Township teenager left with extensive, severe burns after falling Sunday into a fire pit is facing a long recovery and her family could be saddled with costly medical bills.
Hundreds have rallied around Bellefonte Area High School alumna Haley Popovitch, 19, in the days since she was flown by medical helicopter to the Lehigh Valley Health Network Regional Burn Center.
More than 300 people donated more than $26,000 to Popovitch’s family through GoFundMe. The fundraising site takes 2.9% plus 30 cents from each donation.
“It really means a lot to all of us. Autumn (Popovitch, Haley’s older sister) had texted me the morning after I posted it and was surprised it was already at $1,000 and by an hour or so later it was up to $5,000 and by that evening it had surpassed the goal by a couple thousand,” Amber Corl said. “We were all very happy and shocked to see that and were grateful to everyone that had seen, shared and donated to it. It was just amazing to see how well it did in less than a day.”
Corl described Popovitch as her best friend, someone she considers “like a second sister to me.” The 19-year-old has worked as a de facto spokesperson for the family, in addition to organizing the fundraiser.
They met in preschool and their relationship blossomed throughout the years, especially the final years of their high school careers. Corl estimated staying at Popovitch’s house at least three times per week last summer.
“It’s just kind of weird not being able to do that now,” Corl said.
Popovitch enjoys skiing and art, everything from painting to drawing to pottery. Corl described her as a “very caring person,” but also somebody not afraid to tell someone if she thinks they’re making a mistake or being rude.
She finished her freshman year earlier this month at Penn State’s main campus. Popovitch’s siblings include an older sister and step-brother, as well as a younger step-brother.
“I cannot express how much we appreciate everyone donating, reaching out, even just sharing this helps us out so much,” Autumn Popovitch wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you everyone for your support, we just have to stay strong for her.”
Details about how Popovitch fell into the fire pit early Sunday morning are scant, Corl said. The working assumption is she tripped on a hole, she said.
They believe she pulled herself out of the fire, walked into the house and asked her mother to call 911, Corl said. She described it as miraculous.
The fall — including whether alcohol was involved — is being investigated, township police Chief Adam Salyards said Friday.
Popovitch was left with third-degree burns on about half of her body, Corl wrote on the GoFundMe page. In a post Monday on CaringBridge, Autumn Popovitch wrote her sister would be sedated for at least one month.
Her sister underwent her first surgery Wednesday. Others were scheduled for Friday and Tuesday, Autumn Popovitch wrote. Each procedure is expected to last at least two hours.
Those surgeries may be just the tip of the iceberg. Popovitch may need at least 10 skin grafts over the coming months. Her sister described it as a “very long process.”
Once released from the burn center, Popovitch could spend several months at a rehab facility before heading home.
“I’m still in shock that this even happened,” Corl said. “After that, it’s mostly just denial. I’m refusing to believe that it happened.”