Donations pour in for New Alexandria teen struggling to recover from medical emergency
A New Alexandria teen who earned three livestock ribbons at the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Show is struggling to recover after undergoing cardiac arrest and hemorrhagic shock.
In early January, Autumn Zundel, 13, was diagnosed with an anterior mediastinal mass between her heart and lungs, after going to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh complaining of shoulder pain. A Jan. 15 biopsy of the mass became more complicated when Autumn suffered major blood loss and cardiac arrest, according to longtime family friend Heather Graft of North Huntingdon.
A GoFundMe campaign quickly blew past the original $30,000 goal and has been increased to $60,000. As of Tuesday, 616 donors had pledged more than $44,000.
“There have been lots of extremely generous people,” Graft said. “I’ve been friends with (Autumn’s mother) Stacey for 30-plus years, and we’ve been close with the family for a long time.”
Graft updated the GoFundMe page seeking donations to help defray the costs of medical bills.
“Autumn is still currently on a feeding tube,” Graft wrote. “And they are looking into vision therapy for her.”
Autumn also has been diagnosed with cortical visual impairment, or CVI.
She was moved into an inpatient rehabilitation facility “to provide her with more intensive therapy to assist in the long journey ahead for the Zundels,” Graft wrote. “(Her parents) Dave and Stacey will need to modify many things in their life to make them handicap-accessible, to provide Autumn with the best care possible. So please keep donating and praying for miracles.”
Autumn is an active member of the American Quarter Horse Association and Harold Alwine 4-H group and a member of livestock groups such as the National Junior Swine Association and the Pennsylvania Club Livestock Association.
In 2019, she brought home three ribbons from the state farm show for the farm’s market hog show Reserve Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Crossbred, as well as the Division III Reserve Champion ribbon in swine showmanship.
Graft said she is hopeful that Autumn will be able to resume all the activities she loved so much.
“She’s such a hardworking, fun-loving girl who loves every aspect of the animal world, whether it’s horses, showing pigs, anything,” Graft said.
To donate, see GoFundMe.com and search for “Autumn Zundel.”
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
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