Photo submitted Pictured is Lawana Moss — two months after her accident

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Photo submitted Lawana Moss' daughter Ansleigh models a custom "Friends of Lawana" t-shirt.

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Photo submitted The back of the t-shirt reads "Live. Love. Laugh. Pray! Miracles Do Happen."

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Friends of a local accident victim will hold a fundraiser this Saturday to help with with bills during her recovery and rehabilitation.

Lawana Adele Moss was injured on April 4 when she was taking a break from work outside the Forest Street Grill in Jonesville. While sitting on a bench in front of the building, a customer pulled into the parking lot and the customer’s foot slipped off the brake and onto the gas. The vehicle hit Moss and pinned her against the building.

Her spine was fractured in two places; her lung collapsed from a broken rib; her pelvis was broken in six places; and damage to her colon was found during the 15-hour surgery that followed in Greenville.

Moss was told she was lucky to be alive, and most feared she would suffer paralysis as a result of the injuries. Her friends, however, thought otherwise as they pulled together to form a prayer chain which grew as far as England and South America.

Her physical rehabilitation started only weeks later, and in just five weeks after her extensive surgery, Moss was able to return home

“In my opinion, anyone that doesn’t believe in the power of prayer only needs to hear her story to change their minds,” said Everett Leigh, a friend of Moss. “I’ve known Lawana almost all of her life as she was one of the first dance students when my former wife, Amanda, started The Dance Academy and over the next 15 years, became very much like the older sister that my daughter Michelle never had.”

Leigh also recalled that Moss was the winner of one of The Dance Academy’s first Smile Awards. He said her smile is contagious, and he credits much of her miraculous progress over the past two months to her positive attitude.

Moss, 34, is uninsured, and she is a single mother. Leigh and several more of Moss’ friends, in an effort to help Moss with her bills and household expenses during her recovery and rehabilitation, decided to hold a series of fundraisers.

Within weeks of the accident, Pamela Willard Kelley organized a hot dog supper as the first event, raising around $800.

Leigh created a Facebook page called “Friends of Lawana Moss,” which can be found at www.facebook.com/groups/lawanasfriends. Within 48 hours, over 600 people had joined the Facebook group, offering financial support and emotional encouragement. As of Thursday afternoon, the group had 689 members.

Several involved soon began to organize a larger event, a fundraiser party, and Curtis Smith, owner of Shady’s, offered to host the event with all door receipts going directly to Moss and her family.

The Friends of Lawana Benefit will be held at Shady’s on Saturday, June 9, beginning at 7 p.m.

Olivia Fay Stuart scheduled the entertainment and many of the business donors who are supporting the effort.

A full line-up of bands — including Dreadn Headn, Green Vegas, Lost Angel and Rough & Ready — will donate their time and talent for the event.

Event t-shirts were donated for sale by Ken Jones of Penn Prints/Penn Designs of Spartanburg. The shirts were sewn and printed with a dye-sublimation process on fabric which guarantees no shrinking or fading.

Leigh delivered the shirts to Moss and her family on Wednesday.

“Her strength and wonderful attitude just two months after facing death or possible paralysis, walking on her walker and getting up to get her own iced tea is such an inspiration to me,” he said.

Event sponsors include the following: Shady’s, Penn Prints / Penn Design, Kim Eubanks Photography, River Chase Golf Club, Midway BBQ, El Poblano, Ellis Photography, Smith Jewelry, Sunset Tan / Cutting Edge, Kirby’s Cake Shoppe, In & Out Oil Change, Sparkle City Tattoo, Boulevard Music, Personal Security Supplies, Professional Help Computer Services and Doodlebug Designs.

Because alcohol will be available at the event, no one under the age of 21 will be admitted or permitted to stay after the 7 p.m. start time.