Taylor Swift has stepped in to assist a family in need. On Saturday, Texas volunteer firefighter Aaron Van Riper responded to an emergency involving a head-on car crash. Upon arriving at the scene, he quickly realized his wife and 7-year-old son were among the victims.
Van Riper told KTRK-TV that he began to go into “panic mode” as soon as he saw his son. He was one of the first responders to arrive, and the condition of his family’s car, which collided with a truck, left him wondering if either had survived.
“My wife was laying there on the ground. [By] the look of the car, I don’t know how either one of them lived. There was nothing left of that car.”
The firefighter’s wife, Amber, and son, Bear, were airlifted to Houston’s Memorial Herman Hospital. Amber underwent nine hours of surgery to repair her pelvis, which was broken in five places, according to ABC13. Bear was treated for multiple broken bones and has been released home. Amber remains hospitalized. Both are expected to be confined to wheelchairs temporarily during their recovery, leaving Aaron responsible for their constant care. Amber will also be unable to work at her job as a graphic designer.
The family does not have health insurance. A friend of the family setup a GoFundMe account to help them pay for their quickly mounting medical bills. Billboard reports there was a $15,000 contribution made by “Taylor Swift” on Wednesday night. Billboard has since confirmed that it was, in fact, the “Bad Blood” singer who made the generous donation.
Over 2,000 people have joined Taylor Swift in donating to the Van Riper family over the course of four days. Currently, they have reached $103,773 of their $125,000 goal, and the site has been shared over 4,000 times. Hopefully, the attention Swift has brought to the cause creates a trend of giving that continues to help this firefighter and his family pay for the medical care they need.
This is just one of Taylor Swift’s many generous acts over the years. In January, she surprised a fan with a check for $1,989 to go toward her student loans, along with some other goodies, including a painting she personally created for her.
In February, Swift donated $50,000 to New York public schools . Although she was criticized by some for not giving more, the Department of Education said New York was very appreciative of the generous gift.
Considering Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour has earned nearly $17 million so far, the monetary donations hardly make a dent in her bank account. However, sometimes the gifts of her time and heart mean just as much.
In March, the pop star granted a wish to a tiny fan dying from brain cancer. Four-year-old Jalene Salinas’ final wish was to see her favorite singer. She was able to check it off her bucket list when Swift surprised her with a Facetime chat.
If you wish to join Taylor Swift in donating to the firefighter who saved his own family, you can do so on the Van Riper’s GoFundMe page.
[Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]