Friends, strangers show support for teen victim

DELRAY BEACH – Farrah Fox needs a miracle.

Life changed for the vibrant college student from Delray Beach when an offduty deputy ran a stop sign on July 15 and slammed into the car she was riding in.

The crash left Fox, 19, with a traumatic brain injury that sent her into a coma for five weeks. Fox is still in ICU at Delray Medical Center, where doctors say her recovery could take years.

Now her family is turning to friends and strangers to help raise money to pay for her medical care.

On Saturday, more than

300 people flocked to Johnson Folly Horse Farm in Delray Beach for a barbeque fundraiser organized by friends.

“This is a little overwhelming,” dad Ira Fox said from behind the grill, where he was serving cheeseburger after cheeseburger. “I had no idea what I was starting when I made that Facebook post on July

15 saying, ‘Please pray for Farrah.’ It went viral. We had people praying from all over the world.”

A few feet away, mom Marla-Jo Fox was getting hug after hug from wellwishers — and fighting back tears.

She had just come from the hospital, where Fox is getting round-the-clock care.

“Farrah has a fever today, unfortunately,” she said. “With a brain injury, there’s going to be good days and bad days. We can’t measure her progress by days. We have to measure it by weeks.”

Fox’s younger sister Madison, 17, spoke with a patient wisdom: “We have to take it day by day and moment by moment,” she said. “It’s a long process.”

Tiffany Vanhille and Fox became fast friends at age 5. Now both are 19 and Vanhille, of Boynton Beach, can’t imagine life without her bff.

“She is the most loving, caring person,” said Vanhille, who was selling bracelets to help raise money for Fox. “She’s so willing to help people. I’ve never met anyone like her.”

Vanhille said Saturday’s fundraiser was the first of many.

The family has also set up a GoFundMe page, “Fight For Farrah,” to help raise money for her medical bills.

Ira Fox says his daughter will have to learn to breathe, chew and swallow on her own again.

“Uncertainty is the new normal,” he told the crowd, thanking everyone through tears for coming. “Got to keep it positive. I’m fighting to get Farrah better.”

Standing nearby was friend Dylan De Giuseppe, 20, of Boca Raton. De Giuseppe was driving the car that day and also suffered injuries — broken ribs, a chipped tailbone and a head injury.

“It was just a normal day,” said Coconut Creek resident Bobby McGowan, 19, Fox’s boyfriend of three years. “Dylan offered to do me a favor and drive Farrah to work.”

Both visit Fox every day, playing her favorite music and reminding her about positive, happy times.

“You can’t focus on the bad things,” McGowan said. “I want to focus on Farrah and her recovery. I want my girl back and I think we all want our girl back.”