A longtime New Westminster resident struck by an alleged drunk driver during a visit to London is feeling the love and support from afar.
Emily Goss, 24, suffered a head injury when she was hit by a car in south London about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 16.
“The positive energy that is flowing across the ocean is just amazing,” said Carol Goss, Emily’s grandmother. “They can feel it.”
As of the Record’s deadline, Emily was in a medically-induced coma but physicians at St. George’s Hospital were beginning to lighten up on her sedation. She suffered no broken bones or organ damage in the accident.
Upon learning of the accident, Emily’s parents Warren and Shawna Goss, brother Hayden, boyfriend Jamie and grandmother Wendy Bosley immediately boarded a flight to London. Emily’s parents and boyfriend remain by her side, where they’re sharing messages from friends and family.
“People are sending emails to her every day. They are reading to her every day and they are printing them up,” Carol said. “They are keeping a book so she knows how many people this has affected.”
After graduating from New Westminster Secondary School, Emily attended Douglas College and took courses at BCIT. A dedicated student, Emily is scheduled to attend a full-time business program at BCIT in September.
Goss, who was born and raised in New West, is an avid traveller and lived in England when she had a two-year working visa. At the time of the accident, she was visiting friends she’d met while living in England and working at The London Eye.
“All her friends gathered for a party to welcome her, to see her on this short trip. That is where she’d been,” Carol told the Record. “They had actually sang her Happy Birthday for the two birthdays that they’d missed since she came home. She was totally loved by everyone there.”
Emily was on her way home from the gathering with two friends when she was struck by a vehicle.
“The car came from behind. None of them heard it. They were on the sidewalk,” Carol said. “She was the only one who got hit.”
Although the driver failed to stop at the scene, he was arrested a short time later on suspicion of impaired driving and was in police custody.
Carol said the family is grateful for the support they’ve received on a number of fronts since the accident, noting Air Canada, the Canadian Embassy, St. George’s Hospital and the police have been incredibly helpful and helped them get to Emily’s bedside within 17 hours. In London, the family was whisked through security and customs and police met them at the airport and took them to the hospital.
A longtime lacrosse player, Emily was set to play in the provincials for the Salmonbellies’ women’s team upon her return from England. She’s the daughter of Warren Goss, general manager of the New Westminster Junior Salmonbellies, and the granddaughter of lacrosse Hall of Famer Wayne Goss.
In 2011, the B.C. Lacrosse Association awarded the Ted Fridge Family Spirit Award to Warren, Shawna, Emily and Hayden Goss for their many contributions to lacrosse.
Because Warren and Shawna will stay by Emily’s side until she’s able to return home, friends and community members are trying to lessen their burden by raising funds to help with expenses.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $28,000 to help the family cover any costs while they’re by Emily’s bedside in England. You can find it at www.gofundme.com (search for Support Goss family).
Deb and Russ Heard (head coach of the Burnaby Junior A Lakers) and Troy (an alternate governor with the Junior A Salmonbellies) and Candide Dickson, two well-known lacrosse families, have launched a separate fundraising campaign for folks who may be unfamiliar with Go Fund Me. Donations of any amount can be e-transferred to debheard@shaw.ca.
“Every penny will be sent directly to the Goss family to assist them as needed,” said a notice posted on the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League website about that initiative. “Please send your positive thoughts and messages to the Goss family.”
Anyone wishing to send a message to Emily can email her at emilydawngoss@gmail.com.
