Actor Ryan Reynolds has sent a video of encouragement to Rowghan Hart, the 14-year-old girl who remains in hospital after surviving a horrific head-on collision near Peterborough in November that killed her parents and brother.
Rowghan’s cousin Tanya Hart posted an update on Friday (December 16) on a GoFundMe campaign, in which she described that Rowghan has endured five major surgeries in just over three weeks.
“Rowghan is so strong and hasn’t complained once,” Tanya wrote. “She has smiled and made jokes, continuing to amaze the doctors, nurses and everyone that surrounds her. Thank you also to Ryan Reynolds, who sent Rowghan a video of encouragement yesterday. It brought a smile to her face.”
In an update last week, Tanya explained the hospital’s orthopaedic surgeon had told Rowghan “the most unimaginable news regarding her future.”
“We sat by her side as she processed her new reality that she may never walk again,” Tanya wrote. “I can honestly say that is was the hardest thing I have ever experienced in my life.”
On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 22nd, Rowghan was travelling in an SUV with her father 46-year-old Jonathan MacDonnell, mother 52-year-old Stephanie Hart, and brother 18-year-old Riddick Hart — who called themselves the “MacHart” family — on Highway 7 just east of Peterborough when their vehicle collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by 42-year-old Jason Schmidt of Hastings. Rowghan, the sole survivor, was airlifted to SickKids Hospital in Toronto in critical condition.
A funeral service for Rowghan’s parents and brother has not yet been arranged, according to Tanya, so the family can focus entirely on Rowghan’s recovery as well as her grandparents.
“We are sorry that we have to delay the services for Stefphanie, Jon and Riddick into the new year,” Tanya wrote. “However, it is so important that Rowghan be healthy and stable enough to be in attendance, in order to continue to process and grieve her beloved family.”
The GoFundme campaign organized by Tanya has so far raised more than $87,000 to support the MacHart family. A second GoFundMe campaign created by relative Kathryn Wilson has raised almost $9,000.
