LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Louisa County firefighter is recovering in a hospital after crashing into a tree on the way to a call.
Mia Etheridge, 20, was thrown from a fire truck on July 9. Virginia State Police said she and another firefighter were responding to a call, when the fire engine crashed into a tree near Peach Grove Road.
Kristin Hawk, Louisa County Fire chief, told 8News on Thursday, July 20 that the crash is under an internal investigation.
“It is truly heartbreaking. The firefighter’s motto is that everybody goes home. Unfortunately, on this day we had a couple that did not,” Hawk said. “With very good fortune they will.”
The other firefighter in the crash — who was driving the fire truck — was treated and released from the hospital.
Etheridge was flown to UVA hospital from the scene — where she remains in recovery.
“This firefighter has not been left alone. Someone is with her 24/7 since this incident,” Hawk said. [She’s] doing extremely well, each and every day progressing by leaps and bounds.”
In less than a week, family, friends and strangers helped raise money to support Etheridge’s recovery. Ethridge recently graduated from a fire academy and joined the Louisa County Fire Department in March, Hawk said. Etheridge also volunteers at a Stafford County Volunteer Fire Department.
Ethridge’s story reached beyond state lines and grabbed the attention of The Yard Foundation — a nonprofit organization that supports ill or injured firefighters — based in Chicago.
Erin Krupa, the foundation’s director of donor relations, said Etheridge’s impact on the firehouse and the people who work around her is significant.
“It was about 30 to 35 messages from firefighters in that area talking about somebody so significant was injured, and that she was going to need assistance,” Krupa said. “Mia is everybody’s little sister. Everyone is routing for her and expecting her to pull through it, so we just want to give her that additional financial comfort for when she does.”
The Yard Foundation said they raised more than $12,000 so far.
Brian Thompson with the Stafford County Fire Department said he made an American flag out of used fire hoses to raffle off in honor of Etheridge’s recovery. Thompson said he has raised more than $3,000 for far. The department is holding the Hose Flag Raffle on August 21.
Hawk said, “We are anxiously awaiting for when Mia does come back. Come back to the department whole.”
