Serenity Sumler’s family is waiting to learn whether she qualifies for what NewsChannel 5 described as emergency TennCare coverage, as medical bills mount. The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for physical therapy and bills while Sumler is unable to work, the station reported.
Sumler went without health insurance after turning 19 in 2024, when her TennCare premium was set to rise from $16 to $286 a month, her mother, Demetria Dobbins, told NewsChannel 5. Tennessee’s TennCare eligibility guide lists income and resource limits for its coverage categories. The state says hospital presumptive eligibility is voluntary; hospitals that participate must meet program requirements, including having an agreement with at least one TennCare managed care organization, according to TennCare.
Sumler spent 31 days at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, including time in intensive care, after suffering crushed legs and a pelvis and extensive tissue damage, NewsChannel 5 reported. She was released earlier this month and moved in with Dobbins while continuing her recovery.
Sumler cannot stand on her own and uses a shower chair as she works through physical therapy, according to the station. Before the crash, she had been using earnings from a part-time job to help pay culinary school tuition.
The crash happened on Interstate 24 in Antioch as Sumler was driving home from culinary school. She stopped at a single-car wreck to help its driver and call 911; police say an SUV then hit a guardrail and struck Sumler, pinning her between the vehicles, NewsChannel 5 reported. The station also reported that Sumler has wrestled with regret about missing school and being hurt while helping, but remains glad she stopped. Dobbins said she has urged her daughter to keep following her instincts, while worrying about her emotional well-being as the bills grow.
