Knox Elementary Comes To Aid of Student Injured in Crash

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CANTON, GA -- The Knox Elementary School family is rallying to help one of its students seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident in March.

The school is collecting money as well as various items to assist the Lunn family, whose world was turned upside down due to the March 29 collision.

The family, consisting of third-grade student Melina Lunn, kindergarten student Monica Lunn and their mother, was in an SUV attempting to turn left from Knox Bridge Highway/S.R. 20 on Riverbend Way when it was struck by a Ford pick-up truck, the Georgia State Patrol previously told Patch.

Monica spent the first three weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, Principal Tammy Sandell said. That's where the family learned the kindergarten student broke her neck, and would be a quadriplegic requiring the use of a respirator to breathe.

Sandell said Monica survived her first surgery in which a rib was fused to her C1 and C2 vertebra in an effort to provide stability and prevent further damage. Doctors also gave Monica breathing and feeding tubes during a follow-up surgery.

She has since been moved to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and is able to talk and eat, according to the principal.

Monica also takes part in a "rigorous" schedule of physical, occupational and speech therapies, Sandell stated. Once she's released, which Sandell said could be between late May and early June, the next stage of Monica's recovery will be taking part in daily outpatient therapy.

"Through it all, Monica remains strong and happy," Sandell said. "Monica is a fighter and a survivor!"

Residents can make checks out to Knox Elementary School and write "Monica Lunn" on the memo line. Other needs include a wheelchair accessible van, ramps to access the house, an ADA-accessible shower, ramp and moving chair to access upstairs bedrooms, an Apple iPad with adaptive technology apps and dresses that are easy to slip on over Monica's head.

The school notes any buttons or zippers for dresses would need to be located in the front, and the current size needed to accommodate the tubes necessary for Monica's survival is a 7/8.

Residents can drop off donations at the school, located at 151 Riverbend Way in Canton, between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone who has questions can also call the front office at (770) 345-4307.

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Photo: Monica Lunn. Credit: Cherokee County School District