Taylor Swift has left Rhode Island mother Ashley Taunton emotional after donating $50,000 to her GoFundMe.
The 42-year-old mother of three from Connecticut was seriously injured in July after she was struck by a car while trying to help teenagers who had crashed their vehicle due to bad weather.
“It’s so surreal to see someone of her stature do something so kind and generous to an ordinary person,” Taunton told People magazine.
Of herself and her husband Joe, she added, “We work at a hotel on Misquamicut Beach [in Rhode Island]…We can see it [Swift’s] home from work, and her music is always streaming on our device. So this was mind-boggling!’
Filled with gratitude as she recovers, Taunton said, “I am in awe of the way God works and how so many can be the hands and feet of Christ to overcome tragedy.
“It has been an overwhelming blessing and we are so grateful.”
Taylor Swift left Rhode Island mom Ashley Taunton emotional after donating $50,000 to her GoFundMe; pictured in 2025
The 42-year-old mother of three from Connecticut was seriously injured in July after she was struck by a car while trying to help teenagers who had crashed their vehicle in bad weather
With the help of Swift’s generous boost, Taunton’s GoFundMe, set up by her friend Laura Ortelt, has now reached more than $91,000 of a $110,000 goal.
She was driving on I-95 South in Rhode Island on July 18 when she saw the aftermath of an incident in which a teenage driver’s vehicle had floatplaned.
Taunton previously told People that the three teens were “a little confused” when she approached them from where she had left her own car with her youngest daughter inside.
During her quest to get the children safely out of the rainy weather, she was hit by an oncoming car that also hydroplaned.
Her injuries included bilateral internal carotid artery dissection, lacerations to the liver and spleen, multiple rib fractures and a ruptured diaphragm.
Taunton told People that she learned of the pop star’s donation while on her way to a physical therapy appointment.
When friends contacted her husband with the news, she said she saw his face fall.
‘He said, ‘No way. Supposedly Taylor Swift just donated $50,000 to GoFundMe,” she recalled. ‘Then my stomach turned and I had tears in my eyes, but I was also in disbelief. “My physiotherapist was shocked and my husband had to walk out and get himself together,” she said.
With the help of Swift’s generous boost, Taunton’s GoFundMe, set up by her friend Laura Ortelt, has now reached more than $91,000 of a $110,000 goal
Taunton pictured with her husband Joe
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward medical bills and other costs.
“These donations will help us manage the bills and care for our animals and children so I can focus on healing,” the certified nursing assistant told the outlet.
She added, “I still don’t even know how to express how grateful we are and I wish I could hug Taylor and everyone who blessed us.”
“It just felt like a big explosion,” Taunton previously told People of the horrific accident. ‘I remember lying on the ground and seeing my ankle just hanging there. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t breathe.’
Taunton’s daughter rushed to hold her hand as they waited for medical help.
It’s unclear how much time Taunton will need to recover from her injuries, but she expects her physical therapy could last up to a year.
