In June of 2022, Onanole's Ellie Potter's life flashed before her eyes.
Her father, Jason, was involved in a head-on collision on Highway 10, south of Erickson. He sustained several life-threatening injuries. When he got to the Health Sciences Centre, he was in a coma for a month. He underwent several surgeries and was in the hospital until the end of August of that year.
Three years later, Jason is now doing very well. He has a slight limp, but can walk unassisted. He can't drive after having a seizure last year. He still has plenty of appointments with his surgeon, and as Ellie says, it's an ongoing process.
"Overall, it's amazing where he is at now," said Potter. "We are all very grateful for STARS and all the healthcare providers that helped him get where he is today."
Three years removed from the tragic accident, Ellie and her family are looking back. They will never forget what happened, and they will never stop thanking those who helped Jason get where he is today. He was airlifted from the side of the highway by STARS air ambulance.
Since 1985, Stars has been delivering critical care, anywhere it's needed. Ellie is grateful that STARS was an option on that day.
"I believe that's what saved his life that day. If he had to take an ambulance by ground, I don't think they would have gotten him to the help he needed quickly enough," added Potter. "I really believe they saved his life that day. They were able to get him to the hospital much faster than he would have otherwise."
Ellie says the crash has made the family cherish time together that much more. She's realized how quickly things can change and how important it is to spend time with the people you love.
"You know, like, especially your parents, you don't get to be with them forever," commented Potter. "I think that's really important. His accident made that clearer to me."
To say thank you, Ellie spearheaded a fundraiser earlier this month at Danceland in Wasagaming. Potter's goal was to raise $5,000 to $10,000. She would then give that to STARS as a thank you for saving her dad's life.
In the end, Ellie was able to raise so much more than that. It was a packed crowd at Danceland. They held an auction and shared an evening that'll never be forgotten. Ellie was able to raise just more than $48,000.
"Yeah, I really couldn't believe it. Hitting the $40,000 mark was unbelievable. It was overwhelming, in the best way," she said. "I couldn't believe it happened. I am so grateful to everyone who helped me get to that number. There's no way I could have done it without all the help and support I received."
After paying for expenses, the final number was in. Ellie presented STARS with a cheque for $40,000. She wants to thank everyone who came out to support the event. Never in her wildest dreams did she think raising this much money for a great cause was possible.
It turns out, it was. Ellie's family means everything to her, and she's grateful they'll continue building lifelong memories together.
She was more than happy to present STARS with the cheque.
"It was really nice. It really gave me some closure, I feel," ended Potter. "To be able to do something like that and show our appreciation for what they did for us. It was an unbelievable feeling."
Ellie will graduate this year and is looking forward to doing so with her family.
