On the afternoon of July 30, 2023, a devastating accident occurred at the Effingham County Fairgrounds during a horse racing event. Harper L. Finn, a 5-year-old resident of Altamont, Illinois, suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of the incident. Harper was eagerly preparing to participate in the upcoming Little Misses show scheduled for Tuesday night and was excited about walking the catwalk. She had plans to accompany her grandmother to the harness races that Sunday afternoon. Around 1 p.m. on July 30, a shocking turn of events unfolded when a building on the far side of the track collided with the starting gate, which was attached to a pace car used in harness racing. The collision caused the gate to extend into the grandstand area, resulting in injuries to some spectators. Tragically, Harper’s grandmother was holding her when the fence gave way, leading to her being tragically separated from her grandmother amidst the chaos.
Is Harper Finn Alive or Dead?
After receiving immediate care from paramedics, the severely injured child was rushed to Effingham’s HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital by ambulance. Subsequently, she was airlifted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital through a medical evacuation helicopter. As of Monday, Harper’s condition was reported as critical, according to Phil Hartke, the president of the Effingham County Fair Board. On Monday night, before the tractor and truck pulls began at the fairgrounds, a moment of silence and prayers for Harper was requested by Hartke, leading to a deeply touching event.
Hartke mentioned that the Pace car driver was familiar with the starting line, and fortunately, no other spectators in the grandstand were injured during the incident. Following the quick evacuation of Harper from the fairgrounds to St. Louis for emergency medical treatment, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office was notified and arrived at the accident scene at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday. The announcement revealed that Jerry W. Young from Jackson, Mississippi, was the driver of the Pace car, which belonged to Michael D. Titus from Charleston, Illinois. Tragically, Harper Finn lost her life when she was hit by an enlarged starting gate while seated in the grandstand. Harper was promptly taken to HSHS St. Anthony Memorial Hospital thanks to the swift response of A-I Ambulance of Altamont. Following an assessment of the severity of her injuries by ARCH Air Medical, she was flown to St. Louis Children’s Hospital for further medical attention. As of Monday morning, the community anxiously awaits news of Harper Finn’s condition.
On a date on July 30, 2023, the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association launched a GoFundMe initiative to offer aid to “The Finn Family” following the tragic event. The purpose of the campaign was to provide support to the family during this challenging time. Originally, the fundraising goal was set at $10,000, but the campaign has surpassed all expectations, raising a remarkable total of $46,225, thanks to the overwhelming support and generosity of donors.
Message from the Effingham County Fair board pic.twitter.com/cQwOOO6x5d
— Alex Wallner (@byalexwallner) July 30, 2023
Please share and donate if you’re able to 💛💙
Fundraiser by Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association : The Finn Family https://t.co/pySMeLaWZX
— Nicole Wilfong (@nrwilfong) July 31, 2023
Races are canceled for the rest of the week. pic.twitter.com/OZWYYwwO9W
— Alex Wallner (@byalexwallner) July 31, 2023
Neha Chaudhary
Neha Chaudhary Is a freelance journalist, contributed to popular newspapers and magazines on mainly Lifestyle & Features
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