Benefit Helps Fort Smith Teen Badly Injured By Driver

Northrup, a senior at Southside High School in Fort Smith, received extensive injuries and was taken to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock for treatment.

To help the family pay for treatment and transportation to-and-from the hospital, Casey Simco, a local show promoter at Tha Ave, organized the Prayers for Thomas Northrup Benefit at the Sound Room in Fort Smith.

All money raised will go to the Northrup family, something Jackye Northrup, mother of Thomas Northrup, said would greatly help.

"Bills are starting to come in left and right," Northrup said. "It's going to help a lot."

A Prayers for Thomas page has been set up on Facebook to keep people updated on his condition.

The Saturday fundraiser was complete with raffles and live music -- fitting as Northrup played the viola in his high school orchestra.

"He still has paralysis in his hand where he can't play his viola, so he's getting upset about that," Northrup added. She acknowledged it would take some time for him to recover.

Thomas has an upcoming eye surgery planned, and still has tubes in his stomach, but Jackye Northrup said the community will help them get through this.

"We appreciate everything everyone is doing for us. It means a lot for everybody to come together just to be there for us."

Adam Shaffer, the 35-year-old Fort Smith man accused of hitting Thomas Northrup, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in March for revoking bond conditions from a separate set of charges. He could face additional time if convicted of charges related to this incident, including driving under the influence and second degree battery.