Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to a Connecticut mother who suffered life-threatening injuries after pushing a teenager out of the path of an oncoming car.
The singer contributed to a GoFundMe supporting Ashley Taunton, her husband, Joe, and their three children. “Wishing you the best recovery possible and sending love to your family!” Swift wrote alongside the Aug. 28 donation, signing the message simply, “Taylor.”
Taunton, 42, was driving south on Interstate 95 in Rhode Island with her youngest daughter on July 18 when she stopped to help teenagers whose vehicle had hydroplaned during a severe rainstorm. As she stood with them, another vehicle lost control on the wet highway and came toward the group.
Taunton pushed the teenager nearest to her out of the way and was struck herself. Her recovery has included a month in the hospital and multiple surgeries, while the fundraiser created by family friend Laura Ortelt has climbed past $69,000 toward a $110,000 goal, with Swift accounting for by far the largest individual contribution.
The Teen Taunton Saved Was Her Friend’s Son
Taunton told PEOPLE that she pulled over roughly 30 yards from the initial crash and instructed her daughter to remain in their vehicle and call her father. Taunton, who had previously worked as a certified nursing assistant, said she could not simply drive past when someone appeared to need help.
The three teenagers were getting out of their vehicle and appeared relatively okay despite the first crash. As Taunton spoke with them, another vehicle came toward the group. A crash report she shared with PEOPLE said the second driver lost control while traveling south on I-95 because the road was wet and slippery.
Taunton immediately pushed the teenage driver, 19-year-old Vinny O’Rourke, out of the vehicle’s path. She was then struck herself and recalled lying on the pavement unable to breathe while her daughter rushed over and held her hand until emergency crews arrived.
The connection between Taunton and Vinny emerged only at the hospital. Taunton had met him in 2020 but had not seen him for about six years, so she did not recognize him on the highway. His mother, Jamie O’Rourke, had been Taunton’s friend for 14 years.
O’Rourke discovered what had happened after seeing Taunton’s husband and daughter at the hospital and asking why they were there. Once she learned Taunton had been struck on I-95, the pieces came together. Taunton later recalled being told that O’Rourke “just lost it” when she realized her friend was the person who had pushed her son to safety.
Three Surgeries and a Recovery That Could Take a Year
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Taunton was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with extensive injuries, including bilateral internal carotid artery dissection, lacerations to her liver and spleen, multiple fractured ribs and a ruptured diaphragm.
Doctors told her that the overall recovery process, including physical therapy, could take as long as 12 months. In an Aug. 17 social-media update cited by CT Insider, Taunton said she had finally returned home after spending 30 days in the hospital and undergoing three surgeries.
The GoFundMe was created to ease the financial pressure on the family while that recovery continues. According to the campaign, donations will help cover medical costs not paid by insurance, household bills, groceries and travel expenses associated with treatment.
The family has received assistance beyond GoFundMe as well. A separate Meal Train campaign had collected more than $16,000 by the time PEOPLE published its Aug. 28 report.
Swift’s $50,000 Became the Campaign’s Largest Donation
💌 | Taylor Swift left a message when donating to Ashley’s GoFundMe:
“Wishing you the best recovery possible and sending love to your family! Taylor” https://t.co/gYWhjUKjFU pic.twitter.com/oTKxWJ4WPt
— Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) August 28, 2026
Swift made the $50,000 contribution on Aug. 28, with both PEOPLE and Us Weekly confirming the gift. Her donation immediately became the largest listed individual contribution to the fundraiser.
Taunton reacted publicly after seeing Swift’s name and the $50,000 amount. Us Weekly reported that she said she had to pull her car over “just to breathe” after seeing the donation on her phone and thanked Swift for bringing additional attention to her family’s situation.
She later shared a screenshot of Swift’s contribution to her Instagram Story and wrote that she was “sobbing with so much gratitude.” Taunton has been reluctant to describe her own actions on the highway as heroic. Speaking to PEOPLE about why she stopped, she said she saw somebody who was hurting and reacted instinctively: “I’m just a mom. Somebody was hurting. That’s just what you do.”