Community rallies to support young GAA player who suffered devastating spinal injury in road crash
More than €100,000 has been raised to help support a talented young GAA player from Co Derry who suffered life-changing injuries in a road traffic collision earlier this year.18-year-old Kerri Mullan, from Ballinderry, suffered severe damage to her C7 vertebra following the crash on February 9 and immediately underwent emergency spinal surgery.Since then, Kerri, who was in her final year of school at the time of the collision, has spent the past four months in hospital, facing challenges no young person should ever have to endure.The teenager, who captained the Derry Minor LGFA team last year, has currently lost movement from the chest down and is also dealing with ongoing complications affecting her body, along with constant pain and discomfort.As Kerri prepares to return home following her four-month stay in hospital, her employer CRF Oil Ltd launched the fundraiser earlier this week in an effort to help her recovery.A message shared on the fundraising page states: "Before the accident, Kerri was full of life. She was in her final year of school, playing football for Ballinderry Shamrocks, and looking forward to finishing her exams, going to university, and making memories with her friends."She had plans for concerts, holidays, and all the exciting moments that come with being 18. She’s known for her energy, kindness, and sense of humour — always the one to lift the mood and make people laugh."That spirit is still there."Even now, Kerri continues to show remarkable resilience, facing each day with bravery and determination that inspires everyone around her."As Kerri prepares to return home, life will look very different. She will need ongoing care, intensive rehabilitation, and major adjustments to her home to help her manage everyday tasks and regain as much independence as possible."Money raised from the GoFundMe campaign will support Kerri's ongoing rehabilitation and physiotherapy, as well as help provide her family with essential medical equipment and assistive technology.The funds will also be used to implement adaptations to the family home to make daily life accessible as well as provide in-home care and long-term recovery support.The GoFundMe page has already raised over €105,000 within days of being set-up. To view the page or donate to the GoFundMe fund, click here.The Derry Ladies Gaelic Football Association hailed Kerri as someone who "brought endless positivity, kindness and laughter wherever she went" as they urged members of the public to get behind the fundraising campaign."The entire Derry LGFA community stands with Kerri and her family at this incredibly difficult time," the association said in a statement."Kerri has been a huge part of her club and teammates’ journey from the very beginning — a dedicated player, a proud and deserving Minor Captain in 2025, and someone who brought endless positivity, kindness and laughter wherever she went. Her energy on and off the pitch has touched so many people across our LGFA family."We are asking clubs, players, coaches, supporters and the wider community to please take a moment to read Kerri’s story and support in any way you can. Every donation, share and message of support will mean so much to Kerri and her family as they face the road ahead."Please keep Kerri and her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers."Kerri's brother Aron Mullan recently spoke to Belfast Live and said his sister was showing incredible tenacity."She is mentally strong and doing her best," Aron said."We as a family just want to take the opportunity to thank everybody who has donated so far. We are all overwhelmed by the generosity of people who have helped, and how the community has come together during this difficult time for us."Want to see more of the stories you love from the Irish Mirror? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives... To add Irish Mirror as a preferred source, simply click here.
