UPDATE: Mom Says Daughter's Progress is "Astounding"

Taylor Hale's mother, Stacy Henningsen, called her daughter's road to recovery in a CarePages update posted Thursday morning.

"What an exciting day yesterday!," Henningson wrote. "Taylor had therapy and was able to sit in a special chair that could hold her up and was able to take a cruise down the hall! She...was able to open the doors by pushing the handicapped button. Her daily progress is astounding."

The news today comes less than two weeks after Hale, a 14-year-old freshman cheerleader and volleyball player at Prairieview School in Waukee, was severely injured in an accident Sept. 9.

According to incident and eyewitness reports, Hale was thrown from the hood of a moving car, landed on the street and hit her head on the concrete, causing injuries severe enough to land her in the intensive care unit at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines.

"Keep Taylor in your thoughts and prayers daily as she continues the long road of rehabilitation," wrote Henningsen.

Fundraiser planned Friday

On Friday, from 3 to 10 p.m., volunteers will sell bracelets for $5 each at a tent outside the entrance to Waukee Stadium during the Waukee High School homecoming game vs. Mason City.

A total of 400 bracelets are up for sale, some say "Pray for Taylor" and others say "Hope for Hale."

All proceeds — estimated at $2,000 — will benefit the Hale family.

Family friend Laura Hess said that Northwest Bank President Don Nickerson paid for the cost of making the bracelets.

Supporters can also drop off aluminum cans in a box at the tent. Teens have been going door to door to collect cans to help the fund drive, which raised about $1,000 in five days, Hess said.

To donate

Donation canisters have been placed at a growing number of area Kum & Go gas stations: at the University Avenue store across from Waukee High School at the store on Fourth Street in Waukee, at 156th Street and Hickman Road in Clive, at Jordan Creek Parkway and Vista Drive in West Des Moines, and on Jordan Creek Parkway across from the entrance to Jordan Creek Town Center.

Casey's General Stores in the area also have donation canisters. They can be found in these stores: Hickman and Warrior Lane in Waukee, Boone Drive and University Avenue in Waukee, and 2250 Woodlands Parkway in Clive.

In addition to the canisters and bracelets, accounts have been set up at Northwest Bank in West Des Moines and all Wells Fargo and Liberty Bank locations to help the family with medical expenses.

At Northwest Bank, send checks payable to Prayers for Taylor, 5700 University Ave., #100, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

To donate at any Liberty Bank, mention the Taylor Hale fund, and at Wells Fargo, reference account number 7735584307 to donate.