Friends of injured MU student launch hashtag to support recovery

Thousands of Mid-Missourians are rallying behind the Columbia woman who was critically injured in a sledding accident Tuesday — showing their support on Twitter.

Friends of 20-year-old Kathleen Oglesby launched the hashtag #1DforOglesby Wednesday, to try and get the MU student’s favorite band to send her a message of recovery. Since then, the hashtag has gone viral, garnering over 11,000 tweets.

“Kathleen is really goofy, really funny, really sweet. She’s just an angel,” Jamie Stanley, Oglesby’s friend, said. “I hope this helps her get better soon.”

Oglesby is facing a long road. According to her family, she broke five ribs, shattered several vertebrae, and fractured her wrist, collarbone, and shoulder blade when she lost control of her sled and hit a tree.

“She’s doing better now,” Stanley said. “She’s out of the ICU and breathing on her own. Her back surgery went well.”

Her family said she’s made remarkable improvements so far. But she still hasn’t been able to feel or move her legs yet.

Oglesby’s friends said they hope the hashtag will bring her some positive inspiration as she recovers.

MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, former MU basketball player Kim English, former MU quarterback James Franklin, actress Hayley Atwell, and Olympic gymnast Mikulak have all tweeted the hashtag from their personal accounts to support the cause.

Oglesby is in Alpha Phi and several sororities told ABC 17 they want to work together to do some sort of philanthropy for her, but they haven’t decided what just yet.