LSU students Kellie and Danielle Murphy are safely at home following a harrowing experience in South Africa that left their sister Nicole Murphy dead and their brother Brian Murphy in a medically induced coma.
Kellie, a sophomore soccer player and Danielle, an incoming freshman soccer player, were in Africa for the World Cup with two of their four siblings and their father. A car struck Kellie, Brian and Nicole while they were out walking.
Nicole died instantly, while Kellie received a mild concussion from the impact.
Family friend Kelly Carbo said the U.S. Embassy helped arrange a flight to bring Nicole’s body home, but Brian and his father remain in Africa.
Carbo said the family told her Brian’s vital signs looked good, but the pressure on his brain is still too high to take him out of his coma.
Brian requires a special medivac plane to return home, which will cost around $300,000 dollars. The Murphy’s insurance won’t cover the cost of the plane, so local businesses have arranged fundraisers to help the family with the bills.
Another Broken Egg Cafe in Lafayette donated 10 percent of profits on June 23 to the Murphy Family Support Fund.
Jake Alleman, the restaurant’s manager, said the fundraiser was a huge success and raised $4,400 dollars. The restaurant had one of its best business days ever and served almost 700 people.
“The community here really embraced the family and tried to come together and raise as much money as possible,” Alleman said. “I’m hearing all over the radio that other restaurants are doing this now. It seems like it’s really taking off.”
Corner Bar of Lafayette held a support fundraiser on June 26, which Carbo said raised over $6,000 through donations and the selling of “Murphy” wristbands. The wristbands said “Peace, Love, and Soccer” on one side and “Murphys” on the other.
Sarah Prejean, a schoolmate of Kellie’s, said the St. Thomas More community — where the siblings went to school — and the Lafayette community is very tight-knit.
“It’s kind of like it’s happened to one of our own,” Prejean said.
Prejean, along with anywhere from five to 25 people, goes to one of the area churches in Lafayette every night to pray for the family.
Support has been building in other cities around Louisiana. In New Orleans, the “Murphy Memorial Match” will be held on July 3rd from 3-7 p.m.
Match organizer Rachel Riser said she scheduled three games due to overwhelming interest.
“The idea of doing a benefit tournament was pretty quick to the forefront,” Riser said. “Several of the girls that played in the league with Nicole came together to think of things we could do to help her family.”
The Fleur De Lis Boutique, a Pineville based company, has committed to donating the proceeds from one of its shirts to the family’s fund.
LSU soccer coach Brian Lee said the Louisiana soccer community as a whole has been trying to step in and do as much as it can.
“There’s a lot of ideas bouncing around between a lot of people,” Lee said. “LSU is trying to study how we can help within NCAA rules.”
Lee said the tremendous support for the family is no surprise to him.
“They’re just a wonderful, wholesome, honest group of people,” Lee said. “It’s as close a family as we’ve had in the program since we’ve been at LSU. All the kids are really tight and they’re the best of friends.”
Upcoming events include fundraisers at Charley G’s in Lafayette on Tuesday and Zues, Agave Cantina and Collage Cafe in Lafayette on Wednesday.
Home Bank has set up an account (#2057873802), which can be donated to in person at the Lafayette and Baton Rouge locations, or electronically by calling 337-261-9440.