Pray for 3-year-old Lauren Renee Pingel in Amarillo, Texas-Truth!

Three-Year-Old Lauren Renee Pingel in Amarillo, Texas Was Seriously Injured in an Auto Accident and Needs Prayers-Truth!

Summary of eRumor:
Little Lauren Renee Pingel was in a car accident in Amarillo, Texas, and despite being strapped in a car seat, was severely injured. Her grandmother has issued an email request for prayer.

The Truth:
This story is true...and the latest news is that after serious injuries, a long season of treatment, little Lauren has been released from the hospital on 7/26/01 to return home. (The details are in the example below.) The accident happened on December 15, 2000. Lauren endured several surgeries to drain fluid from the brain and dealing with the swelling of the brain. She also had lung problems.
Last updated 7/

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

This letter is written by the 3 year old girl’s grandmother.

"This has been a really hard week for our family.

Last Friday about 12:30 P.M. my three year old granddaughter, Lauren Renee Pingel and her baby-sitter were on their way to do some shopping in a Ford Taurus. At an intersection North of Amarillo and around River Road area a large Pickup with a Rhino Guard Bumper failed to yield right of way and ran a stop sign.

The pickup hit the car. Lauren was buckled in her car seat in the middle of the back seat. The pickup hit the side of the car about the middle. We are not sure what caused the terrible injury to Lauren. She had no broken bones or other injuries but severe head injuries. We have been told it was the Rhino Guard Bumper that hit her. She weighs about 25 lbs. She was rushed to Northwest Texas Hospital where they put the pieces of her little skull back together with metal pins and all the pieces were there. Some broken glass was also removed. A few hours later as her brain began to swell the doctors told Suzanne and Brad that if they did not perform a craniotomy she would die, and if they did perform it she still might die or surely not fully recover.
She was rushed into surgery again, and it was performed. She has improved some slowly. The first 72 hours were very difficult with several trips for CAT scans in hopes of seeing how the brain was reacting. We have now stopped worrying about the brain so much and are concentrating on the other vital organs. Her heart beat is strong. Her lungs are filled with fluid and they have diagnosed her with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Some of the tissue in her lungs has hardened. They are doing respiratory work every 2 hours. Her kidneys were not functioning properly but have improved. Her little face is swollen as tight as it can swell with both eyes swollen shut, it is also starting to bruise.

It is so hard to see her lying there with all of the tubes. We have some great doctors and they have all been really good to talk to us and try to be compassionate. Her main doctor said today that we are maybe halfway through the worst part. (I can’t imagine what will happen next) BUT....he also said today that we were not taking inches anymore but maybe steps now. We think she can hear us when we talk to her. I read her a book tonight and her blood pressure dropped 2 points (a good thing). It did go back up. I am taking a couple of her favorite books tomorrow to read to her. Ron and I came home tonight hoping to be able to get a good nights sleep. Of course the kids (Brad and Suzanne) can’t leave the hospital, and neither would I. They sleep in Lauren’s room. One of the nurses where today-home with her. Please pray for Lauren and Her doctors that she will have the strength to endure the treatment and her body will accept the medicines that they prescribe.

Her doctors names are: Dr.Habersang-Pediatric ER Trauma Specialist, Dr.Levy-Pediatric ER Trauma Specialist, Dr.Ortiz-Resident with Dr. Levy and Habersang, and Dr. Steve Cone-Brain Surgeon. Also pray for the many excellent nurses and therapist that are working with her. Names: Lauren Renee Pingel - age 3 years Brad and Suzanne Pingel - Parents Jodi RaeLynn Pingel - 8 month old sister Ron and Janace Ross - Maternal Grand parents JoAnn and Robert McCoy - Paternal Grand parents

I hope to have a prayer chain going around the world with the help of the internet. Her name has been given to a missionary in Africa and they are praying for her there. Please send this request to anyone you know that will pray for us and the healing of our precious baby girl-Lauren.