Family seeks support for Thurston County woman seriously injured after horse ‘runs away’

By Rolf Boone / The Olympian (TNS)

A fundraiser has been announced for a Thurston County woman who was seriously injured in a horse-related accident last week, according to GoFundMe.

Cristi Vanderhoof was about to mount her horse on Wednesday, April 17, when something startled the horse, causing it to “take off running,” according to the fundraising post.

The woman was dragged by the horse and hit her head on the wall of the arena, the post said.

Vanderhoof was later flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was treated for “bruising, swelling and bleeding in her brain.”

“Nearly a week later, she remains sedated as doctors treat her other injuries, including fractures to her skull, ribs and face,” the post read.

“The nurses have warned us that this journey is a marathon and not a sprint, and that it will be the worst rollercoaster of ups and downs imaginable,” Cristi’s sister, Trisha Brock, wrote on GoFundMe.

“If you know Cristi, you love her – that’s just how it is. She is the queen who makes everyone around her feel special and loved.” As of Monday evening, the campaign had raised more than $10,000 of a $50,000 goal.

To view the fundraiser or make a contribution, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/cristi-vanderhoof-horse-accident-support-fund.