Americans Step Up, Show What Personal Responsibility Looks Like in Effort to Help Houston Cop and His Wife in Time of Need

Tragedy hit a family in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 15 when Harris County deputy constable Joe Williams and his wife, Laurie, were badly injured in a tollbooth collision. A garbage truck hit their vehicle going about 65 mph while they were stopped and paying the toll.

The driver of the garbage truck blew through the toll area and hit two other cars before the vehicle burst into flames, killing the driver and another person.

While Williams is injured and unable to work, his wife suffered four broken ribs, a bruised lung and several skull fractures and is reportedly in the shock trauma ICU. She will likely be hospitalized for weeks.

Source: GoFundMe

Source: GoFundMe

So while the financial toll will certainly be great for Williams and his family, generous Americans -- and possibly people from around the world -- are already stepping up in a big way to help. So far, a "GoFundMe" account seemingly set up by William's sister has already raised more than $22,000.

Brenda Will made the following blog post on the site Tuesday:

Just got home from the hospital. Took my 16 year old daughter back to see Laurie. (Britnee LOVES Laurie so much) what I see is a STILL beautiful woman. She may have a shaved head....purple eyes and a very swollen face.. She has tubes out of just about everywhere... But she is still so beautiful. While in today.. The nurse came in.. Laurie responds to touch.. Even while sedated. She still has a lot of brain swelling but is improving.. I will tell you... When joe leans down to kiss her...she knows... He vitals change.. I never really had witnessed that before... But they get suddenly better. Laurie was moving her legs and trying to raise her arms. She cannot breath on her own yet..... But we WILL get there.. The swelling will continue to go down. Keep praying... I know god hears us.

Ps... Laurie when you can read this.... I now know your real hair color!!!

Much love and keep sharing!

"Please help this family not be destroyed by an event that was out of their control. With two beautiful children and two much loved bulldogs.... The financial responsibilities can't go on hold," Will wrote when the fund was first started.

And so people helped by donating their hard-earned money.

Deputy constable Williams recently spoke out about the accident in an interview with KPRC-TV.

"It's heart-wrenching on everybody. My wife is up there (in the hospital) right now but there's also other families grieving for the losses of their family members," Williams said.

Watch the report:

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