Foundation raising money for train crash survivors
More donations are needed
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Racheal Mofya, on her way home from school at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, was a passenger on the Metrolink train that collided with a Union Pacific freight train.

An exchange student from Zambia, Mofya survived the horrible wreck but remains in intensive care at County USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, far from her family in Africa. She is breathing on her own and can move her hands and feet, and squeeze her hand into a fist, but she has a long recovery ahead.

The 27yearold had been living with the Abruzzese family in Simi Valley for the past year. A scholarship she earned to the fashion institute was partially funded by Simi Sunrise Rotary Club.

Although much of the attention concerning the train crash has focused on those who died, Mofya is one of the hundreds of survivors coping in the aftermath of the wreck.

Organizations like Simi Valley Community Foundation are working to help survivors, families and loved ones.

"I'm overwhelmed. I can't even remember all the things that have happened. I can't say thanks enough to the whole community," said Pat Abruzzese, who, together with his wife, Joanne, and the rest of his family, opened his home to Mofya. "Simi Valley has just been unbelievable."

The community foundation, which operates under the umbrella of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, is busy collecting donations for Metrolink crash survivors in need.

So busy, in fact, that it had to hire additional help, bringing in Maggie Urpin to keep track of and disperse the funds to those who qualify. But there is still much work to be done.

"We haven't raised enough funds yet to really help a lot of people," said Leigh Nixon, Chamber president and co-founder of the community foundation.

The group is able to set up donations for specific people or specific services such as medical expenses, medical home supplies, rehabilitation, transportation and help paying mortgages.

Nixon said 10 families have requested help so far, but she anticipates many more will seek help in the coming weeks.

"We've been getting requests of people who need help paying their mortgage, their electrical, water and trash bills—I didn't realize something like this isn't just about the people who died; it's also about the people who survived and their families that really have it bad," Nixon said. "One family called us and said our person's still in the hospital . . . we can't work and bills are piling up. These are the things people don't hear about."

Metrolink is expected to provide the community foundation and other groups a list of people who were riding the train when in crashed.

Mofya has received help from many in the community. Simi Sunrise Rotary and Cornerstone Church have donated meals at the hospital for family members and visitors. The Rotary club flew in Mofya's older sister Martha from Minneapolis a day after the crash. She is still here, by her sister's bedside most of the time.

"Everybody is helping. We didn't even know about a group of Zambians in Southern California, and they're even trying to help," said Pat Abruzzese, a board member of the community foundation. "FIDM has been so supportive, too. It's been so dynamic and so unbelievably generous."

Mofya arrived in the United States in July 2007 after winning a business plan contest from the Zambia Youth IT (Information Technology) project. At that time, she won the scholarship to FIDM. In order to take advantage of the scholarship, Mofya needed a place of residence, and that's when the Abruzzeses stepped in.

During the day, Joanne Abruzzese tries to spend time with Mofya, and her husband drives out to USC in the afternoon and evenings.

"We're pretty confident the rehab's going to be a long process," Pat Abruzzese said. "We're committed to making sure she gets whatever she needs to get through all of this. The key is the support from the community. If nothing else, that's the key."

To donate or request help from Simi Valley Community Foundation, call (805) 526-3900 or e-mail info@simivalleychamber.org.