When Cynthia Charron’s 18-year-old daughter was seriously injured in a car crash three weeks ago, she couldn’t have anticipated the level of support her family was about to receive.

“People have been so good, sending emails, checking in, saying prayers,” Cynthia said.

“We have prayers being said from Australia.  We have prayers being said from Montreal. People have been calling, saying, ‘I lit a candle for her.’   It’s just amazing.”

On the evening of Oct. 19 — four days before her 18^th birthday  — Danielle Charron was driving home from work when she crossed over into the other lane and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle.

Danielle can’t remember the details of the accident.

“(Police) think she may have swerved to avoid an animal by the look of the tire marks on the road,” Cynthia said.

Danielle was rushed to a hospital in Saint John with severe head trauma.  She was unconscious for a week.

Doctors told the Charrons they wouldn’t know the extent of Danielle’s injuries for several days.

“Our world was turned upside down.  We were praying to God that she would pull through but we didn’t know.  There was nobody here who knew,” she said.

“As a parent, it’s one of the worst things you can ever imagine.”

That’s when support started pouring in.

“When we were in Saint John, people would drive down and bring (food).  Two of our friends went and cleaned our house,” she said.

She said the owners of Pizza Delight offered their restaurant.

“We received an email (from Pizza Delight) stating that because we’re in Saint John to go and use that restaurant for our family.  Everything was free,” she said.

“They said ‘please please please use it.’”

The Charrons’ neighbours rallied and sent cards and gifts.

She said Danielle has a gift bag full of cards from friends, family, and community members.  Her hospital room is filled with flowers, balloons, and gifts.

“We’ve gotten flowers from people I didn’t even know,” Cynthia said.

Cynthia and her husband Pierre are Realtors with Exit Realty in Fredericton.  She said the company has gone to great lengths to show their support.

Last week Exit held a company potluck and silent auction to raise money for the Charrons.  The event raised $5,000.

Cynthia said she and Pierre cried when they found out about the fundraiser.

“So did I,” said Philip Duplisea, owner and broker of Exit Realty.

“It’s just kind of an obvious thing to help out under the circumstances.”

Duplisea said about 80 people, including Realtors from several companies and their families and friends, came to the fundraiser.  Some of the auctioned items included art, flower arrangements, and dinner.

Cynthia said she hopes to use the donations to take Danielle and the family on a trip down south.

“She loves to travel and she loves the beach,” Cynthia said.  “We’re hoping to go for Christmas.”

Cynthia said all the love and support has meant a lot to Danielle.

“The emails and the love and the prayers and everything sent our way I do believe helped her in a sense,” she said.

“(We feel) overwhelmed and blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives.  It’s a lot of love.”

Danielle has woken up and is alert and talking.  She is now at the hospital in Fredericton waiting to be transferred to the Stan Cassidy Centre where she will spend the next few months rehabilitating.

Doctors are confident she will recover from her brain injury.