An Army veteran died and his wife was seriously injured in a car crash that occurred while they were driving to a Veterans Day dinner in Sandpoint, Wash.
The couple’s friends, Nadine and Sonny Parker, have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for their 5-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son and other family.
Alan Ropp, 44, and Lisa Ropp, 33, were rear-ended near Dover at about 4:45 p.m. last Monday, a release from the Idaho State Police said. The impact pushed their car into oncoming traffic, where a Chevy Tahoe struck the Ropps’ vehicle.
Alan Ropp, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, ISP said. Lisa Ropp and the occupants of the Tahoe were taken to the hospital.
The Parkers’ GoFundMe page said Lisa Ropp was transferred to Spokane’s Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center with “very serious injuries.” She had surgery Tuesday for a broken pelvis, collarbone, wrist and eye socket, as well as other injuries.
After surgery, it was discovered she had suffered a stroke and had several blood clots, according to the GoFundMe page. This led to a second surgery.
Lisa Ropp remained hospitalized in Sacred Heart’s intensive care unit with partial paralysis as of Thursday, the GoFundMe page said.
Alan Ropp joined the Army at age 17, in 1992, and served for six years, Nadine Parker said.
The Parkers said Lisa’s mother, Terri Ivie, is helping to care for the children, along with her husband, Alan Ropp’s mother and other family.
“She is generous and loving and giving of her time,” Nadine Parker said of Ivie. “She will help out any way she can. She is there for people, and I just think now is the time for our community to step up and help them out during this very difficult time.”
The page’s organizers are attempting to raise $25,000 in emergency funds to cover medical, funeral and travel expenses.
“They were a struggling young family and this has really been devastating,” Nadine Parker said.
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