A Stonehill College junior's study abroad trip turned tragic after a severe bicycle accident in Spain left her in critical condition. Lauren Rauseo, while trying to reunite with her friends on a ride before returning to France, took a devastating fall off a side road on March 17. According to her parents, speaking with Boston.com, Rauseo struck a wall after the road sent her hurtling down a large hill. Suffering a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures, Rauseo needed several surgeries and intensive care.
A WCVB report says Rauseo's condition, once critical and comatose, has since improved, and she is now alert and speaking. Some fractures are healing naturally, though another brain surgery looms on her horizon. Despite not recalling the accident, Rauseo remembers riding a bicycle on that fateful day.
To aid in the mounting medical costs, Ryan Desmarais launched a GoFundMe campaign, noting the "staggering" cost to med flight Rauseo back to Boston when stable. With her parents facing significant financial burdens for accommodations and other expenses, the GoFundMe has raised over $43,000 towards a $150,000 goal. "Thank you for your kindness, compassion and generosity," the GoFundMe plea reads, extending gratitude from the Rauseo family during what Desmarais describes as an incredibly difficult time. Rauseo had previously received a scholarship to study abroad in Paris, expressing to Stonehill College how the aid would allow her to enjoy the opportunity without financial worry.
Stonehill College, deeply invested in Rauseo's recovery, held a Mass by the Campus Ministry, offering a statement that the college community is praying for her full recovery and supports her family in these trying times. The private Catholic college in Easton has been working with the travel insurance provider to address medical and travel expenses. Rauseo, studying English and communications, had been refining her French in Paris after winning the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, administered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to promote peaceful international relations.
