A serious automobile accident in the Sacramento area on Friday, Oct. 15 left Oakdale resident Annie Homer with major injuries. She was the 2016-17 recipient of the prestigious Leo Volz award, a four-year scholarship presented to an outstanding Oakdale High School senior.

Now, her oldest brother Joseph has started a GoFundMe effort, hoping to raise $100,000 to defray medical costs, as Annie remains hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center.

“The community has really come out,” Joseph said, with the fundraising surging past the $47,000 level by Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 26.

Annie was attending college in the Sacramento area when the accident occurred.

“The name of the fundraiser is ‘Please help Annie Homer recover’,” Joseph said, explaining that people interested in contributing can go on Facebook and look up that particular GoFundMe campaign, or go directly to the fundraising website at gofundme.com and put in the name.

Parents Jim and Jane Homer have been able to be at the hospital with Annie every day, said Joseph, and a family friend was able to help arrange for a discounted stay at a hotel near the hospital.

Along with Joseph, Annie’s siblings also include older brother Michael, older sisters Emily and Katie and younger brother Jimmy.

Joseph has been posting regular updates on the GoFundMe page, and the most recent update offered some good news, noting that one of Annie’s lungs, which was punctured in the crash, has healed and that she is breathing better on her own, relying less on a ventilator.

“We’re hoping her recovery continues,” Joseph wrote. “Thank you all for your support, we are blessed.”