Nearly two weeks after a London woman’s sister issued a public appeal for help covering the costs to bring her sister home from Jamaica, Anika Walters has returned to London, Ont.
The mother of six was seriously injured in a Jan. 19 crash while she was on her way to Montego Bay Airport. While Walters managed to survive the crash, the four other occupants in the vehicle she was in were killed.
Walters’ sister, Kayla Dobney, first spoke with Global News Radio 980 CFPL on Jan. 24, when she said the family was hoping to raise $70,000 to bring her back to Canada for surgery.
The money would also cover costs of future medical expenses for physiotherapy and for legal fees for a lawyer overseas.
She also noted that Walters’ children were lost without her, their sole provider.
As of Thursday evening, the GoFundMe had raised over $24,000, but Dobney said thanks to a donation from actor and comedian Chris Tucker’s foundation, they were able to bring Walters home Thursday afternoon.
Dobney said she couldn’t say how much Tucker’s foundation contributed but she described it as “generous.”
“She’s talking and laughing right now, making jokes,” Dobney said after her sister returned.
“The doctors did say that they’re going to have to do surgery on her. They might have to re-break her bones because it’s been three weeks. We’re just waiting to get all her scans back.”
Dobney said surgery will likely be held on Friday or over the weekend.
“I just want to thank everybody for helping out and for donating because we really appreciate it.”
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