A Missouri teenager who suffered a serious brain injury during a fight outside a St. Louis high school earlier this month is making strides in her recovery, her family said Friday.
Gain suffered a “fractured skull that resulted in brain bleeding and swelling” after she was thrown to the ground and had her head repeatedly bashed against the concrete by a fellow Hazelwood East High School student during the March 8 brawl. The brutal beating was recorded by other students and quickly made the rounds on social media.
The teen remained unconscious in the hospital for two weeks after the clash.
Earlier this week, an attorney for the family said in a statement shared with the Daily News that “the full scope and extent of Kaylee’s injuries and prognosis for recovery cannot be determined until, with God’s grace, she regains consciousness.”
On Friday, Gain’s family posted a hopeful update on a GoFundMe set up to raise funds to help cover the teen’s healthcare costs.
“We are happy to share that Kaylee is breathing on her own [and] remains stable,” family member Hayden Gain said. “And the best news so far is that we have been moved out of the ICU.”
As of Saturday evening, the “Kaylee Recovery Fund” has raised more than $42,000 from over 700 donations.
The teen’s mother, April Nordstrom, also shared the good news on another GoFundMe page set up to help the family pay for “intensive care treatment.”
“I wanted to come on here to first and foremost and thank everyone for the generosity, love and support you have shown for Kaylee and our family,” Nordstrom wrote, thanking all who contributed for their “overwhelming amount of support.”
“She still has an incredibly long journey ahead of her but she is strong,” she added.
That fundraiser, “Kaylee on Her Road to Recovery,” has raised nearly $390,000 from more than 8,500 donations as of Saturday.
