State Department Public Diplomacy Officer Kelly Hunt was wounded on the April 6, 2013 suicide attack in Qalat, Afghanistan. About a week after the incident that killed five Americans and seriously wounded Ms. Hunt as well as three others, and as she was moved to a hospital in Germany, her friends back home, Brian DeNicola, Regan Hildebrand, Becky Reindel, Jen Vinci, Beth Doyle-Hudson & Valerie Cizl decided to organize a fundraiser to support Ms. Hunt’s family.
“Becky met Kelly at work. Brian and Regan met her through rowing. Jen, Beth and Valerie knew her from elementary school. She touched our lives in many ways and the last few days have been difficult for everyone.”
On June 8, Regan will be climbing Mt. Rainier in Seattle, Washington. He was originally going to climb the mountain for fun. In light of Kellly’s accident, he’s now climbing Mt. Rainier for her and will stand on the summit on June 12 for Kelly.
The fundraiser located at you caring.com – http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/climbing-for-kelly/52529 – had $1,000 for its original funding goal. As of this writing, the fund has raised $7093 from 114 supporters across the Foreign Service, EPA, colleagues in Afghanistan, folks from the University of Tennessee and the News Sentinel newsroom, and from friends and friends of friends.
Over in FB, the Kelly Hunt’s Road to Recovery page also put together by friends provided a link to the fundraiser with the following note:
We have been contacted by so many wonderful people across the world who are interested in donating to Kelly’s family in order to help ease the costs associated with traveling to see her when she arrives at Walter Reed, and other costs that arise during this time. Please visit the page below if you would like to contribute financially. All proceeds will go directly to the family. Thank you!
Ms. Hunt’s mother, Dinah told us that the help organized by friends “will allow us to be with our daughter.” If you are want to help, check out the youcaring page here. If you want to send messages of support to the Hunt family and/or follow her recovery, you can check the Kelly Hunt’s Road to Recovery in Facebook where her mother provides regular updates on Kelly’s condition including the following:
I know that people in the DC area are eager to see Kelly, however, it won’t be possible for quite awhile. She’s in intensive care right now. I want to thank everyone for their prayers and words of encouragement. They are definitely helping our family to cope. This is a marathon; not a
racesprint and I appreciate your support.
We understand that a separate hometown fundraiser was also done by several friends of Ms. Hunt last April 20 at the Deja vu Nightclub in Lorain, Ohio (thanks JA!).
— DS
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