- A Utah mother is critically injured after a head-on crash in Florida.
- Tamra Kendrick, 61, suffered severe injuries including a leg amputation above the knee.
- Her family, already familiar with trauma, launched a GoFundMe for medical expenses.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah mother and grandmother is in critical condition at a Florida hospital after a devastating head-on collision. Her family is now holding onto hope and praying for a miracle.
Tamra Kendrick, 61, a mother of eight, was in Florida to babysit four of her grandchildren while her son and daughter-in-law took a short getaway. Early Friday morning, Tamra Kendrick's vehicle collided head-on with a Ford F-350 near Fort Walton Beach, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. None of the children were in the Tesla she was driving.
Cellphone video captured emotional moments from her hospital room, with loved ones offering words of encouragement as she slowly tried to open her eyes.
"Hi, Momma, Hi. You are going to be just fine. We love you. I love you. You just rest, OK? Relax. I'm right here," family members can be heard saying in the video.
With emotion, her son, Bryce Kendrick, described the terrifying experience of seeing his mother in such a fragile state.
"It was touch and go watching her just lie there," he said.
Bryce Kendrick also expressed deep guilt over the timing of the accident.
"The first thing that I had was a lot of guilt because she was out here, just because I asked her to come out: 'If I wouldn't have left, it never would have happened' kind of guilt," he said.
Fortunately, several strangers — including military airmen — rushed to help Tamra at the scene of the crash.
"If they hadn't thrown a tourniquet on Mom, she wouldn't be here," Bryce Kendrick said.
Tamra Kendrick suffered multiple broken bones, internal injuries and a shattered left leg that had to be amputated above the knee.
"The doctors compared it to stepping on an IED (improvised explosive device), like a combat wound," Bryce Kendrick said.
Tragically, this is not the first time the Kendrick family has faced such trauma. Just 18 months ago, Tamra's daughter BreeAnn was also involved in a horrific head-on crash in Idaho.
"It's kind of round two for our family," said Brandon Kendrick, another son. "It's been tough to see your little sister go through it, and now your mom, who's getting older, go through the same thing."
Despite the pain, the family said they've felt the power of love, support and prayer.
"We've felt the miracles. We've felt God's hand in this terrible time. And we're just grateful she's alive," Brandon Kendrick said.
Tamra Kendrick's daughter BreeAnn is still recovering from her own accident and is scheduled for another surgery on Thursday.
The family has launched a GoFundMe* campaign to help cover medical expenses.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
