GIVING BACK: A True Survivor...The Story of Five Year Old Summer Moll

A CTU reader brought a heartbreaking story to my attention that I really want to share with you all. Until I received her email, I had not heard about 5 year-old Summer Moll who survived a head-on crash where she also sadly lost her mother.

Four at the time, the September 10, 2008 crash left Summer critically injured when she and her mom were hit by a woman driving the wrong way on the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway in the Tampa, Florida area with a 0.244 percent blood-alcohol level (nearly 3 times the legal limit). The driver currently faces multiple felony charges, including DUI-manslaughter and vehicular homicide.

Summer suffered a fractured skull and broken arms and legs. She has undergone more than eight surgeries, had casts on both arms, a brace on her neck, currently has pins in her legs, and has endured painful rehabilitation to learn how to walk all over again.

You can see a news report on her tragic story below...

I can't even explain how touched I was by her inspirational story of survival. Despite all of the loss and pain, Summer is still a happy, smiling five year old who, in her grandmother Tammy's words, "has been pricked and prodded more in the past year than anyone should be in a lifetime...Even after she has had blood drawn, which she doesn't enjoy, she'll look at the nurse and say 'thank you'. That's just Summer."

Summer began rehabilitation in December and finally left the hospital at the end of January after the September accident and has continued to have surgeries as recently as last week (her 4th skin graft). Because of her extensive injuries, she has now accumulated over $3 million worth of medical bills along the way.

A benefit is being held for Summer on July 25th at 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 W. 115th St., Merrionette Park, Illinois where she and her grandmother and grandfather who take care of her have a lot of supportive friends and family who want to help the family.

I spoke to one of the coordinators of the benefit and their goal is to raise $50,000 - $75,000 to donate to a trust that has been setup for Summer. The event will include a dinner buffet, a sweet table, door prizes, raffles and a silent auction for which Channing has donated items.

Tickets are $20 for adults; $5 for children ages 3 to 11 and free for children younger than 3. Proceeds from the benefit will help to pay for Summer's mounting medical bills.

For more information on the benefit, you can contact Barb Fitzpatrick at (815) 609-7870.

If you cannot attend the event, but would like to make a donation to Summer's trust, you can do this through the office of Mac Greco III, an attorney for Summer's grandparents and caretakers Art and Tammy Rosian. Anyone wishing to donate can mail checks payable to Tammy Rosian as trustee of the Summer Moll trust to his office at 501 N. Morgan St., Suite 200, Tampa FL 33602.

As the saying goes...“Everyone can’t do everything. But everyone can do something.”

I ask that you please forward this story to as many people as you can so we can get the word out and help this beautiful little girl.

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