Las Vegas teen celebrates quinceañera after surviving crash with truck
Community rallies to give 15-year-old Chelsea Madrigal the celebration she thought she’d never have
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas teenager who was hit by a truck in February is preparing for a milestone she once thought she’d miss.
Chelsea Madrigal, 14, was struck in a crash near Sahara and Rainbow that changed everything for her and her family. The accident left her with a broken jaw, broken arm and fractured neck.
“I just got run over, and I broke my jaw and my arm and then fractured my neck, too, and it lasted like that for a while,” Madrigal said.
After surgeries and months of appointments, she’s back walking on her own, but still learning to live with the scars.
“I don’t feel comfortable with my face anymore, but like, I’m feeling better now,” Madrigal said.
Community steps in to help
Las Vegas photographer Cristina Esparza was thinking about the quinceañera she never had growing up and the girls that couldn’t have one when she took to social media.
“I started doing the contest, asking people, ‘send me your story, why are you not having a quinceañera?’” Esparza said.
When she posted Chelsea’s story, her phone didn’t stop ringing.
“So I start like posting, ‘we got the salon already, who’s in’, and then a lot of people, vendors, the musicians, the cake, the candy bar,” Esparza said.
A dream fulfilled
Friday night, the girl who once wondered if she would live will walk into a ballroom gifted by venue owner Kathy Bolanos and built by a community to celebrate that she’s still here.
“More than anything, it’s seeing her happy, fulfilling her dream of having her quinceañera,” Bolanos said.
Judy Magana, owner of Dream Horse Photoshoots, said being part of creating the memory is meaningful.
“Being able to be part of, making such a memory for her in her life is just, there’s no, it’s amazing,” Magana said.
For Chelsea, who expected a small party, this surprise quinceañera is something she never imagined strangers would build for her.
“I’m happy I’m able, like I’m being able to live the moment,” Madrigal said.
The event center owner says they’re already looking to crown the next winner of a completely free quinceañera and hope to do that every single year.
Chelsea’s family says this celebration is proof that even after a traumatic year there is still a lot of good in the city.
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