Hollie Snell is on life support in Waikato Hospital but has shown slight signs of improvement, her family say. Photo / Supplied
Hollie Snell is on life support in Waikato Hospital but has shown slight signs of improvement, her family say. Photo / Supplied
The heartbroken family of Te Puke crash victim Hollie Snell say they are clinging on to hope, days after making the decision they would have to say goodbye.
However, despite a small improvement, they say the reality is Hollie will unlikely survive.
Her mother, Dale Snell, said there was nogauranteed outcome.
"The prognosis is still very dire. But we are really enjoying everyone's prayers and support," she said today.Last Sunday, the 16-year-old had been travelling between Rotorua and Te Puke when she was involved in a fatal crash on State Highway 33 at Okere Falls. She suffered severe head injuries and was flown to Waikato Hospital and put on life support. An occupant of the other car died at the scene.
In Saturday's paper, Hollie's grief-stricken family spoke of having made the decision to turn off her life support and donate her organs to save others. Parents Dave and Dale Snell and sister Larnie Woodward said organ donation was something Hollie had always supported. Read their story here.
However, yesterday Woodward posted on Facebook: "She's still hanging on guys and things have slightly improved."
"We have to take it day by day but she's a fighter! We still have hope and will cling on. It's been a roller coaster and she's shocked everyone with the slight bit of progress she's made.
She said the glimmer of hope was they had discovered her brain stem was not as badly affected as they initially thought.
Hollie Snell is on life support in Waikato Hospital but has shown signs of improvement, her family say. Photo / supplied
"Thank you friends, family and NZ for your support. As long we have even an inch of hope we will hold onto it with everything we've got.
"We don't know what's going to happen but we know the prayers and support from around the country have had some power!"
Woodward said today that despite the glimmer of hope, the reality was she would most likely not survive.
"But we are clinging to everything."
A Givealittle page was set up to help support Hollie's family, who are well known in the Te Puke area for helping the community through non-profit organisations and volunteer work.
Already, $13,000 has been raised.
By 4pm today , Woodward's Facebook post had already attracted more than 160 comments of support for Hollie and her family.
The cause of the crash is not yet known. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
