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Fundraiser for deceased Smithers car crash victim’s family raises $14K in half a day

The money will help Tonya Horsfield’s family deal with medical and funeral expenses
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The family of a woman killed in a vehicle collision Wednesday in Smithers is amazed at the community response.

At approximately 11 a.m. on Oct. 20, a motor home collided with Tonya Horsfield’s car killing her and seriously injuring her son Jason, who was airlifted to Vancouver Children’s Hospital. Steven Horsfield, Tonya’s husband also went to Vancouver to be with his son, who sustained facial fractures, a fractured wrist, very bruised ribs and possibly other injuries.

The RCMP have not released any information on the cause of the collision, which closed Hwy 16 between Albert Street and Tatlow Rd. for nearly 12 hours.

On Thursday (Oct. 21) evening, Brandi Mikaelsson of Prince George, Steven’s older sister, put up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help Steven with medical travel expenses, funeral expenses and ongoing financial support in the family’s time of crisis.

As of 11 a.m. on Friday (Oct. 22), the campaign had raised more than $14,000 toward a $20,000 goal.

Brandi said she was blown away by the response.

“I got up this morning and I just cried because we had only put it up at 8 o-clock last night and now it’s well-exceeding my expectations, which is wonderful, I’m so grateful,” she said.

“I just want to alleviate one extra stress for [Steven] so he doesn’t have to worry about that part.”

The GoFundMe page can be found here.



editor@interior-news.com

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Thom Barker

About the Author: Thom Barker

After graduating with a geology degree from Carleton University and taking a detour through the high tech business, Thom started his journalism career as a fact-checker for a magazine in Ottawa in 2002.
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