A New York nanny saved a one-year-old child in her care by pushing his stroller away from a truck, but was injured after the vehicle slammed into her instead.
Arcellie “Celi” Muschamp, 52, was hit by a truck on Monday while crossing the street in Brooklyn with one-year-old Rowan Mullen who was in her care.
Her employer and Rowan’s father Patrick Mullen has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for Ms Muschamp’s treatment.
“Our son Rowan was amazingly unscathed in the incident and based on eyewitness accounts Celi helped save him from almost-certain serious injury or death by pushing his stroller out of harm’s way as the vehicle approached,” Mr Mullen said.
The fundraiser for Ms Muschamp surged past its $25,000 (£18,835) goal in five hours, said Mr Mullen in an update.
At the time of writing, over $37,300 (£28,000) has been collected so far for Ms Muschamp.
Mr Mullen thanked people for their contributions and urged them to keep donating.
“This outpouring of love and support for Celi has been truly amazing. Please continue to contribute and support even though we have reached the initial goal amount, as every additional dollar is helpful towards Celi’s care and recovery,” he said.
Ms Muschamp was taken to the New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital where she underwent successful brain surgery, reported New York Daily News.
The parents referred to the nanny, on the fundraising page, as “a loving wife, mother, and sibling who has been a resident of the Park Slope neighbourhood in Brooklyn for many years.”
Ms Muschamp’s daughter Razhel said she was recovering in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
“The doctors have called it a miracle and Celi is truly our hero,” Mr Mullen added on the post.
It was “100 per cent” Muschamp’s nature “to put others first,” the boy’s mother Katie Duhaime said.
“I just hope she pulls through.”
People magazine quoted a statement by the New York police department as saying that Ms Muschamp was hit by a 2011 Dodge Ram pickup truck making a left turn onto Union Street in Park Slope.
The truck’s driver has not yet been identified by name. Authorities said he was a 68-year-old man who remained in the vehicle after the accident.
