GoFundMe set up to cover medical, funeral expenses for Johnson County crash victims
Relatives of Lokesh Potabathula have set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses for injuries he sustained in a “devastating” head-on collision in Johnson County and funeral expenses for his six family members who lost their lives.
Suneetha Gudipalli, the GoFundMe organizer, said in the description that the 43-year-old Potabathula is facing “extremely overwhelming” medical expenses in the wake of Tuesday’s crash. He’s undergone multiple surgeries for an intestinal injury and numerous fractures. Doctors say he’ll need months of treatment and physical therapy before he can return to normal life, according to Gudipalli.
Potabathula, from Alpharetta, Georgia, was visiting family in Texas along with his wife, two children and his wife’s parents when the fatal accident occurred. A Chevrolet Silverado traveling south on U.S. 67 entered the northbound lane in a no passing zone and hit the family’s Honda Odyssey head on, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a press release.
Potabathula’s wife Naveena Potabathula, 36, son Krithik, 10, daughter Nishidha, 9, and cousin Rushil Barri, 28, died in the crash, as did Naveena’s parents, who were visiting from India — Nageswararao Ponnada, 64, and Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada, 60.
Ashok Kolla, a spokesperson for the Telugu Association of North America, confirmed the identities of the victims and said they are working with authorities to send all the bodies to India.
“We want to ease their financial strain during this difficult time,” Gudipalli said in the fundraiser. “Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference.”
