LEWISTOWN — Kiya Eby’s social media is filled with photos of beautiful flowers and adorable puppies. The images are certainly endearing and fun-loving, much like the 24-year-old Lewistown woman’s personality, family and friends say.

That is until 2018. That is when Kiya’s health took a tragic turn for the worse. A car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down.

Then on the morning of Aug. 17, 2023, Kiya went unresponsive and was rushed to Geisinger Lewistown Hospital where doctors found she developed a large brain bleed.

Kiya was life flighted to Geisinger in Danville to the Intensive Critical Care Unit where she went into surgery immediately to remove half of her skull to relieve pressure on her brain. She also underwent another procedure to have a device put in to monitor the pressure on her brain.

Kiya was intubated then had a tracheotomy.

Since all of this happened, she has made some progress and is now responding to commands after extensive treatments.

Her mother, Shianne, of Lewistown, has remained by her daughter’s side since the brain bleed was diagnosed and is only now just starting back to work.

“She has improved some, still has the trach, and she can’t speak on own. She has to be prompted,” Shianne said. “She can say a couple of words, but she has no use of her arms or legs. She’s basically bed bound, so it’s rough.

“She doesn’t know how aware she is always, for the most part,” she added. “She’s made a lot of progress.”

Doctors aren’t certain what caused the brain bleed, but they suspect it might have stemmed from a car accident she was in five years ago.

The family recently purchased a conversion van to help transport Eby.

To help the Eby family, the Milroy Lions Club is holding a spaghetti benefit dinner at the fellowship hall of the White Memorial Church, 68 S. Main St., Milroy, from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

“Both times that we’ve gone through events, the community has been there for us,” Shianne said. “So many people have reached out and wanted to help and have helped.”

The cost of the meal is a $10 donation per person. Children under age 12 eat free. The meal includes spaghetti and meatballs, tossed salad, bread with butter, applesauce, various homemade desserts and soft drinks.

Proceeds from the event benefit the family, including Eby’s medical costs.