After a 14-year-old girl died due to complications during surgery, the Whitfield County community has rallied around her family, raising nearly $7,000.
Autumn Marie Perry, an eighth grade student at Westside Middle School in Rocky Face, died Friday due to complications during an appendectomy, according to a GoFundMe page. Chattanooga-based news station WTVC reported that the surgery took place at Hamilton Medical Center.
Her family members told the news station they are devastated by what happened, saying Perry was nervous about the procedure before going in for it. She was admitted to the hospital on Christmas Day and underwent surgery two days later, the GoFundMe page said.
A community-wide vigil was held Monday evening to honor Perry’s memory, the news station reported. In addition to loving horses, she ran track and was a cheerleader at her school.
“At only 14 years old Autumn leaves behind a dedicated, loving mother and stepfather, a father and stepmother and several brothers and sisters,” the GoFundMe page said. “She lived life to the fullest. This came upon us so unexpectedly.”
As of Tuesday evening, the page had raised more than $6,800 of its $12,000 fundraising goal for funeral and memorial costs.
The hospital provided a statement to WTVC that said, in part: “Our highest priority is caring for our patients. Should a situation or concern arise with respect to the provision of patient care, Hamilton Medical Center takes all such concerns very seriously and endeavors to thoroughly address them.”
Her funeral will be in Dalton on New Year's Day. Visitation and further funeral information is available at the Ponders Funeral Home website.
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