Friday evening, October 22nd as many in Yancey County traveled toward Asheville, some excited about the upcoming Cougar ballgame at Madison High School, they came upon traffic backed up for miles as a head-on collision had occurred near the bottom of Madison mountain near the carp pond. Seven-year-old Addy Watson was believed to have passed away on impact. She was revived and placed on life support however further tests showed that her brain was severed from her spinal cord and she was “brain dead”. She is currently on life support to sustain her body for organ donations. The family is donating Addy’s organs to recipients who are standing by. Her mother, 32-year-old Amanda Watson is hospitalized in serious condition with her pelvic bone broken in multiple places, a skull fracture, and a large laceration on her hip. According to the family, Watson was traveling west toward Asheville in a gray Scion tC, taking her daughter for an evening at Build-A-Bear and to find a Halloween costume, when apparently an out of state silver SUV heading toward Burnsville turned back west and pulled into the path of Watson’s vehicle, hitting that vehicle at around 60 mph in the front right corner. The impact flipped the SUV onto its side. The two females in the SUV sustained minor injuries. The Watson vehicle was sent over the median and into the opposite lane as if it was heading toward Burnsville. Amanda’s brother, Josh said, “we as a family don’t blame or hold any grudges against the other vehicle driver, things happen and that’s just how it is.” He also posted his family’s appreciation to the community and to all those who have donated and reached out to them.
A fundraiser has been started on Facebook called Amanda and Addy Fundraiser. https://www.facebook.com/donate/301183385167948/. The $10,000 goal has already been surpassed and the new goal is $20,000. As of Monday afternoon $16,144 has been raised. For those who would rather not go online a fund will be set up at Yancey Funeral Home. All donations will go directly to pay funeral, medical and other related expenses.
