Heather Nimmons had just dropped her youngest daughter off at a friend’s house a couple of miles from home when she received a call telling her to turn around and come back.
Her daughter was in an accident that led her to be airlifted to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta. Nimmons hasn’t returned home since the accident occurred about 3 p.m. June 26.
Mercee Nimmons, who is 8, is recovering from several internal injuries, including a stage 3 lacerated liver, two punctured lungs, a broken nose, pushed-in kidneys, abnormal intestines and low potassium levels.
“You kind of feel alone when you’re down here and you're seeing all this going on, but with everybody coming and all the texts and all the calls and all the presents and the prayers for her, I can’t even describe it,” Heather Nimmons said. “If I could, if I could go right now and hug every single person and do anything for them, I would. It’s almost like we won the lottery.”
Mercee Nimmons made it through a successful surgery on Friday, and doctors said she is doing better than expected, according to Heather Nimmons. She will be released and allowed to go home after she is able to walk and stay hydrated.
Her mother didn’t disclose the nature of the accident.
Heather Nimmons’ updates on Facebook have received hundreds of comments of support and love. She said folks from Oconee, Athens-Clarke and Madison counties, and even people on a mission trip in Guatemala, have reached out with kind words and support.
Several members of the community have come together to help the Nimmons family, which lives in Lexington, with medical expenses.
Grove Chapel Church announced all proceeds from last Saturday’s fireworks show will be donated to the Nimmons family. Members of Lexington Baptist Church took a gift basket with a stuffed animal, blanket and cards from Mercee’s church class to the hospital on Monday morning.
Hazel Sanders of Hazel’s Hair Salon in Lexington will have a jar set up in the shop for donations to help with medical expenses. Members of Sandy Cross Baptist Church made a blanket for Mercee.
Chloe Dellinger, owner of Marigold and Grace, started Bracelets for Mercee and will donate all proceeds from sales to the Nimmons family. Dellinger said she has already sold 86 of the $10 bracelets.
Multiple people have donated money.
“I’ve grown up always looking to be a helping hand for those in our community. It’s one of the big reasons I decided to be an EMT,” Dellinger said in a text to The Echo. “Once I heard about Mercee’s accident, I wanted to help in some way, but wasn’t sure how until I realized my small business, Marigold & Grace, could definitely help in some way.
“I decided the biggest stress factor on their family, after Mercee’s well-being was going to be paying for her recovery and hospital bills.”
Matt Bartlett, pastor of Lexington Baptist Church, said the church has been praying for Mercee and her family.
“There’s been a lot of support from the community,” he said. “Everyone’s been concerned, but our first responders did a wonderful job getting to her at the time of the accident and helping her get airlifted via a helicopter.”
Heather Nimmons said Oglethorpe County EMS was fabulous.
“(Mercee) felt calmer because she knew a lot of them, since they’re all locals, and it was just a peace of mind, knowing that it was people that we love and we trust working on her, and they made great decisions,” she said.
The Nimmons family is thankful for everything the community has helped with to make the situation easier.
“We just can’t thank God and the community and Oglethorpe,” Heather Nimmons said. “It’s amazing to see how wonderful and just how all the people have come together and helped someone. We could never repay everybody enough for all that they’ve done. The prayers alone have just been the biggest support.”