MONEE, IL — It will be a long road to recovery for Camryn Cox, the 7-year-old girl who was accidentally shot by her cousin while playing in a bedroom during a family party in Monee in early July. She was shot in the jaw and suffered extensive damage to her tongue, vertebrae and main artery in her neck. After a night or two of not knowing whether she would survive the serious wounds, family members of the young Fierke Education Center student were told that she has a chance for a full recovery.
“It was a miracle that she survived,” said Lauren, Camryn’s aunt. “The doctors told us that if the bullet was two millimeters one way or the other she would be either paralyzed from the neck down or dead.”
An emergency surgery the morning of July 8, one day after the incident that occurred during a family birthday party with several other children present, was the first of many surgeries Camryn has already went through in her recovery, which continues at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.
At Comer, where she was airlifted after originally being taken to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, she will need to wear a halo for two to six months.
“As you can imagine, this has been an unfathomable nightmare for Camryn’s mom, dad and entire family,” according to a GoFundMe effort that’s raised more than $25,000 to help the family with the medical bills that will continue to come.
Donate to Camryn’s Road to Recovery via GoFundMe here
Camryn’s mom, Raeann, has not left her daughter’s side in the hospital since driving in from out of town the day of the incident, when she originally was told that Camryn had been shot with a BB gun. Camryn was with her father and his family celebrating her cousin’s birthday.
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RELATED: 7-Year Old Girl Accidentally Shot By Cousin During Family Party
A group of children were playing in a bedroom with adults at the home but not present in the room when one of the children found a loaded rifle in the closet and fired it. Charges have not been filed, but the Will County Sheriff’s Office considers the case an open investigation.
It was “gross negligence” that led to the accident, Lauren said.
“I support gun ownership and have guns of my own,” Lauren said. “But something like this can happen because of complete gross negligence.”
Lauren says Camryn is talking and cognitively alert, but her physical injuries will prevent life from going on as normal for awhile. The young girl will be home-schooled instead of returning to Fierke for the start of second grade this year. As of Monday, she was still unable to walk and struggles to eat while recovering from jaw reconstruction surgery.
Since Camryn needs around-the-clock care, Raeann will be out of work indefinitely. And with care still needed for Camryn’s 5-year-old sister, the challenges and expenses keep adding up.
“You don’t realize all the expenses that come with something like this until it happens,” Lauren said.
But the greater community has provided a beacon of hope for Camryn and her family. In addition to the thousands raised in the GoFundMe, Camryn’s classmates have been sending get-well cards, with an open gym event planned for Aug. 2 at Fierke where card-making stations will be available.
Camryn remains a beloved member of the Fierke family.
“She’s very sassy and loves animals,” Lauren said.
A “give back” night is planned at Gatto’s locations in Tinley Park and Orland Park on Aug. 16, when the restaurant will donate 25 percent from those who order and mention Camryn Cox.
Donations and cards can be sent to Raeann Cox, P.O. Box 22 Tinley Park, IL 60477.
Photo via GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner