Friends rally around toddler hurt in accident

GARDNERVILLE - Friends and family of a 2 year-old girl who was injured in an accident in her home will hold a rummage sale April 15 to raise money for hospital bills.

Lisa Swab, 2, was injured at her home in the Pine Nuts, March 18, after she pulled a dresser down on top of herself.

The little girl had pulled out the bottom drawer to use as a step when the dresser tumbled.

Lisa suffered a skull fracture and was taken by CareFlight to Washoe Medical Center, where she stayed for eight days, said her aunt, Tammy Rathburn.

She was flown to the Stanford Medical Center in the Bay Area Sunday March 26 and will be in the hospital another four to eight days if all goes well.

Lisa's parents, Thomas and Terri Swab, are with her at the hospital, and relatives are taking care of Lisa's siblings, Vicki, 12, and Christopher, 7, Gardnerville Elementary School students.

Rathburn, who works with her sister Terri in the X-ray department of Carson Valley Medical Center, said a lunch was held at the hospital and raised a small amount of money.

A rummage sale is planned to help the family with additional bills. Rathburn said the helicopter trip from Gardnerville to Reno cost $7,000. The total amount the family will be responsible for is not yet known.

Lisa is currently stable but is still on a respirator, Rathburn said.

"She has respiratory distress, which is common in trauma cases," she said. "The doctors say there might be some hearing loss or paralysis, but we won't know until down the road."

Rathburn said her niece isn't giving up, though.

"She's a strong-headed little girl. The nurses all say that she's a fighter," Rathburn said.

Anyone who would like to donate items to the rummage sale can bring them to the parking lot across Virginia Ranch Road from the medical center on April 15, the day of the sale.