Photo: GoFundMe
A photographer fractured her spine after falling from the stage at Wednesday’sSuper BowlLVIvictory celebration, and Los Angeles Rams quarterbackMatthew Staffordwitnessed the incident.
Kelly Smiley, a sports photographer who works as a photo editor for the NFL and the L.A. Kings hockey team, gave an update on her condition Wednesday evening. “Unfortunately I fractured my spine,” Smileywrote, sharing a clip of the fall from earlier that day.
The Staffords and the Rams issued a joint statement to PEOPLE on Thursday: “We have been in communication with Kelly Smiley since yesterday’s incident and we are sorry for what happened. As we told Kelly, we will be covering all her hospital bills and replacing her cameras. We wish her a speedy recovery.”
Avideoof the full event appears to show Mrs. Stafford giving Smiley her phone to take a photo of the couple just seconds before she steps back and off the front of the stage.
Smiley later shared a clip from the hospital to her Instagram Story. Next to a picture of her sitting upright in a back brace while giving a thumbs up, she wrote, “Feeling ok. Staying the night in the trauma center. Thank you everyone for reaching out.”
Kelly Smiley/Instagram
Her friend Tim Kothlow started a “Help Kelly Get Back on Her Feet” GoFundMepageto help cover her medical expenses and replace the camera gear that was damaged in the fall. The campaign has since surpassed its goal, amassing more than $36,000 at time of publication.
Kelly Stafford/Instagram
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Afterbeating the Cincinnati Bengals23-20 during Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI, which took place at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium, the Ramscelebrated their hometown victoryWednesday with a parade.
The route started at Shrine Auditorium and concluded with a rally outside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Rams hosted games from 2016 to 2019 (they previously established their L.A. home in the same stadium back in 1946, where they remained until 1980).
source: people.com
