Tinley Park High School To Raise Money For Grad Injured In Crash

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park High School students and staff are coming together Friday to raise money for a Tinley Park graduate who was seriously injured in a car crash last month.

Diana Ibarra, a 2018 graduate of Tinley Park High School, will need extensive surgery and facial reconstruction after the February crash which required Ibarra to withdraw from her final semester at the University of Illinois until she recovers.

According to Tinley Park High School Principal Theresa Nolan, students and staff will play in a basketball game Friday at 2 p.m. where money from tickets and food sales will go to benefit Ibarra's GoFundMe campaign.

Nolan told Patch administration decided to put on the event "to help lift Diana's spirits and to show her that her Titan family is with her." At the game, male staff will face off against the boy's basketball team and female staff will play against the girl's basketball team.

Tickets cost $2 for entry to the game and bundt cakes will be sold for $5 each. Ibarra's family told Patch they will attend the game and hope to FaceTime Diana during the event to show her the support from the community.

"It's not a giant fundraiser," Nolan said. "But one that we can make a contribution to the fundraising efforts and let Diana know we care about her and are rooting for her recovery."

As of Thursday Diana's campaign had raised over $19,000, surpassing the family's original goal. As doctors learn more about Ibarra's injuries, however, family said they are discovering new costs and issues which can only be solved by procedures not covered by health insurance.

The GoFundMe goal is now $25,000 to aid in medical bills, tuition and helping Diana return to normalcy once she can leave the rehabilitation center, family said.