Donations, Well Wishes Pour In For Firefighter Critically Injured When Struck By Truck

PALM HARBOR, FL — Nearly $60,000 has been donated to a GoFundMe page set up for the Palm Harbor Fire Rescue lieutenant, who is in critical condition after being struck by a pickup truck Wednesday.

At 3:19 a.m., firefighters were called to a vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 and Innisbrook Drive.

Upon their arrival, two fire trucks were blocking the left turn lane, inside lane and inside center lane when a GMC Denali pickup truck traveling north at a high speed struck the right sides of both fire trucks. The pickup truck continued north and struck a 38-year-old Lt. Ashley White, a firefighter and paramedic who was standing near the two crashed cars, tending to the victims of the crash.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the pickup truck then rotated and struck a fire hydrant.

White's fellow firefighters provided aid before transporting her to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg for multiple injuries. She remains in the intensive care unit in critical-but-stable condition after undergoing a six-hour surgery Wednesday night on her left leg.

"This morning we responded to an otherwise routine vehicle crash. In a tragic turn of events, one of our own went from being the rescuer to needing to be rescued," Palm Harbor Fire Chief Scott Sanford said in a statement following the accident. "Despite taking all of the appropriate safety measures, Lt. AshleyWhite was struck by a vehicle at an extremely high rate of speed. Our firefighters immediately started rendering life-saving care to both Lt. White and the driver of the vehicle. I couldn't be more proud of our members for the way they handled the situation."

White, who is married to Clearwater Fire & Rescue Lt. Kevin White and has a daughter, Zo, is scheduled to undergo surgery on her left arm Friday.

"The recovery is going to be measured in months and years, not days and weeks," Sanford said.

"She is to undergo many surgeries, and will have an extremely long road of recovery ahead of her," said fellow firefighter/paramedic Josh Lovetere who set up the GoFundMe page, noting that the funds will help pay White's medical expenses and support her family during her long recovery. "Lt. White is a true American hero."

Sanford said she remains alert and in good spirits, and expressed her love and gratitude for all the support from the community.

"I am very appreciative of the community's outpouring of support for Lt. White and all of our members," Sanford said. "On behalf of Palm Harbor Fire Rescue, I'd like to thank all our neighboring fire departments — Eastlake, Oldsmar, Clearwater, Sunstar Paramedics, the FHP, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Joe's Towing, Days and Speedway Gas station for their assistance and generosity during this time."

The driver of the Denali, a 26-year-old Ironton, Ohio, man, was taken to AdventHealth North Pinellas where he was pronounced dead.

As of Friday, 773 have donated $59,840 to the GoFundMe page set up for White.

Donations, flowers and get-well wishes for White can be dropped off at Station 65, 250 West Lake Road.

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See related story: Firefighter Critical After Being Struck By Pickup At Crash Scene