The Boston Globe - 11.09.2019

B2 Metro The Boston Globe WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019

By Travis Andersen

GLOBE STAFF

A

n online fund-raising effort has been launched for a 5-year-old

Sudbury girl who is being treated at Boston Children’s Hospi-

tal after contracting Eastern equine encephalitis, the mosqui-

to-borne illness.

Close friends of the family of the child, Sophia Garabedian,

are soliciting donations for her medical care on the GoFundMe website.

The appeal had generated more than $115,000 as of Tuesday evening.

“On Tuesday, September 3rd, Sophia Garabedian was rushed from her

home in Sudbury, MA to Boston Children’s Hospital in an ambulance after

experiencing severe flu symptoms, headaches, and appeared to be having a

seizure,” the GoFundMe page says. “She had a very high fever and brain

swelling and quickly became unresponsive.”

The page says tests came back positive for EEE on Sept. 6.

“Her parents have been at Children’s Hospital with her this entire time,

and it has been truly heartbreaking for all of their family and friends,” the

appeal says. “She remains in the ICU and while the family has a full medi-

cal insurance plan through their employer, the out-of-pocket medical costs

will be massive.”

All funds raised will go to Sophia’s family. Organizers wrote on the page

Tuesday that she was showing signs of improvement.

“The Garabedian family will be the named beneficiary on this account

and will receive the funds directly to be used for medical care and rehabili-

tation costs,” the appeal says. “These costs include neurologist support as

Sophia’s brain heals, physical therapy as she regains use of her body, and

in-patient care for an extended period of time. We need your help. Let’s re-

move the financial worry from these amazing parents and let them contin-

ue to do what they are doing — being by Sophia’s bedside 24X7 helping her

to heal and recover.”

Page administrators are asking the press to refrain from contacting So-

phia’s parents. “Please do not reach out to the family,” the posting says.

“They are 100% focused on their daughter’s recovery. We ask that media

please respect their privacy. This page was created with permission from

the family.” The appeal also urges social media users to spread the word on-

line with the hashtag #SuperSophia.

In a related development, the state Department of Agricultural Resourc-

es said on its website that a major aerial spraying initiative was set to com-

mence Tuesday night in parts of the state where mosquitoes are presenting

a danger. The agency said it will conduct aerial spraying in specific areas of

Middlesex, Norfolk, and Worcester counties and continue for several eve-

nings. Communities fully in the spray zone include Ashland, Framingham,

Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn,

Stow, Sudbury, Wayland, Bellingham, Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis,

Norfolk, Walpole, Auburn, Berlin, Blackstone, Boylston, Douglas, Grafton,

Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, North-

bridge, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, Web-

ster, and Westborough, according to the agricultural resources department.

Communities partially in the spray zone include Weston, Dover, Foxbor-

ough, Needham, Norwood, Sharon, Wellesley, Westwood, Wrentham, Bol-

ton, Charlton, Clinton, Dudley, Harvard, Leicester, West Boylston, and

Worcester, the department said.

John R. Ellement of the Globe Staff and Globe Correspondent Maria Lovato

contributed to this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at

[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.

Fund-raisingongoingforgirlwithEEE

AROUND THE REGION

SCITUATE

Deadminkewhale

washesuponshore

Experts say another minke whale was found

dead in Massachusetts waters. The New England

Aquarium says the 22-foot, sub-adult whale was

found dead rolling in the surf off Scituate on

Monday. The aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue

Team determined the whale had likely died with-

in the past couple of days, but because it had

been significantly scavenged by sharks a full

necropsy could not be completed. The carcass

showed no evidence of marine gear interference

or evidence of any other human interaction.

Over Labor Day weekend, another dead minke

whale washed up in Duxbury. In 2017 and 2018,

a greater than normal number of minke whales

died along the East Coast. (AP)

AUGUSTA

Culinaryskillsfocusof

live-streamingclass

Maine is launching a new culinary classroom

that will stream live cooking classes in hopes of

inspiring healthy meals in Maine schools. The

state Department of Education is hosting an

open house Tuesday in Augusta. The culinary

classroom features the ability to stream, record,

and host live audiences for demonstrations. Resi-

dent chefs will provide additional training to lo-

cal food service staff. The classroom replicates

the kitchens found in Maine public schools and

will include commercial ovens, cook tops, and

other commercial equipment. (AP)

NEW LONDON, CONN.

CoastGuardAcademy

eyeingmoreinclusivity

The US Coast Guard Academy’s new superinten-

dent is pushing to create a more equitable and

inclusive campus. Admiral William G. Kelly said

that the academy has made progress regarding

the student body’s diversity, but he questions if

the campus is inclusive. Kelly was appointed in

June amid a congressional probe into the cam-

pus’ handling of discrimination and harassment

complaints. The New London school was the

first US service academy to undergo a process

called the Equity Scorecard, which revealed dis-

crepancies in retention rates, disciplinary action,

and academic performance. The data is being

used to help the academy evaluate and address

inequality. Kelly says he also hopes to gain in-

sight into the academy’s culture by co-teaching a

course on morals and ethics. (AP)

LYNDON, VT.

Boypostssigntoprotect

belovedcoveredbridge

A 4-year-old boy has posted a colorful, hand-

made sign to warn drivers about a beloved cov-

ered bridge’s height and weight limits in an effort

to ensure the

structure isn’t

damaged again.

In May, a food

truck that was

too large caused

more than

$50,000 in dam-

age to the Mill-

er’s Run Bridge.

The damage to

the bridge built in 1878 saddened Dela Stod-

dard-McGrath, of Wheelock, who uses the bridge

on his way to and from preschool. ‘‘He wanted to

check up on it all summer long to see the prog-

ress and when it was going to open,’’ Henekis

Stoddard, Dela’s mother, told mynbc5.com. After

the bridge reopened in August, Dela made his

sign ‘‘to make cars not hurt the bridge,’’ the boy

said. He and a town official posted the sign on

Friday. The sign warns in the young child’s hand-

writing: ‘‘Stop! Back up if you’re more than 11’ 9’’

or 16,000 pounds.’’ (AP)

POLICE BLOTTER

RBODYFOUNDWorcester police are investigat-

ing a suspicious death after firefighters respond-

ing to a fire discovered a body in a wooded area

near 277 Granite St. around 6 a.m. Tuesday, po-

lice said. “Worcester police were called to the

scene after firefighters located a body. The death

is being treated as suspicious,” police said. Police

do not know who died, they said. “The body will

be transported to the medical examiner’s office

for identification and cause of death,” the state-

ment said.

RTRAINFIREA two-alarm fire on a freight train

in Gardner damaged several new vehicles early

Tuesday but caused no injuries, according to the

Gardner Fire Department. Firefighters were dis-

patched to the rail line near the Timpany Boule-

vard underpass shortly after 12:30 a.m. and

found that an automobile carrier containing 10

new vehicles was in flames, the department said

in a statement. Heavy brush near the tracks

made access difficult, the department said. Fire-

fighters used an aerial tower as well as hand-car-

ried hoses to fight the blaze, the department

said. The last crew left the scene just before 7

a.m. Gardner fire said. Gardner fire officials and

the state fire marshal are investigating.

RCARCRASHA 75-year-old woman mistook the

gas pedal for the brake and accidentally drove

her car into a dance studio Tuesday in Duxbury,

officials said. Around 9:45 a.m., a white SUV

drove head-on into the front window of Gotta

Dance Studio at 62 Depot St. in Duxbury. No one

was in the building at the time, and no one was

injured, Duxbury police said in a tweet. The

crash appears to be caused by operator error

when the woman driving the vehicle mistook the

gas pedal for the brake, Deputy Fire Chief Chris

West said. The woman was the sole occupant of

the vehicle. She was shaken up when evaluated

at the scene but was not injured or taken to the

hospital, Police Lieutenant Daniel Brown said.

No criminal charges were filed. The dance studio

is closed while a building investigator evaluates

it, Brown said. The facade of the studio was de-

stroyed, but the bank and post office on either

side remained open. The front end of the wom-

an’s Lexus sustained heavy damage, West said.

RCAPTUREDTwo juveniles who escaped from a

detention facility Monday afternoon in Plymouth

were captured thanks to infrared technology

mounted on a State Police helicopter, police said.

The juveniles escaped at 2:30 p.m. from a De-

partment of Youth Services facility in Plymouth

and were captured at 5:32 p.m., said Sergeant

Nicole Morrell, a State Police spokeswoman.

Troopers in the State Police Air Wing found the

juveniles in a heavily wooded area about 1.

miles from their last known location, officials

said. State Police posted a video of troopers ar-

resting the juveniles. The helicopter was

equipped with forward-looking infrared technol-

ogy, allowing troopers in the air to direct the

ground crew, police said.

GET SMART

By Globe Staff

More than a week after Hurricane Dorian
pummeled the Bahamas, the work of assess-
ing the damage and beginning to rebuild re-
mains arduous. The official death toll is at
50 but is exptected to rise from the slow-
moving, Category 5 hurricane that struck
the islands. Thousands have been left home-
less.
The government has estimated that up to
10,000 people from the Abaco islands alone
will need food, water, and temporary hous-
ing as officials consider setting up tent or
container cities while they clear the coun-
try’s ravaged northern region of debris so
people can eventually return.
Many of the largest international relief
organizations are accepting donations, both
money and supplies, and volunteers, to aid
Dorian victims.
People in the United States who still are
searching for family members and friends in
the Bahamas should contact the State De-
partment’s Office of Overseas Citizens Ser-
vices at 1-888-407-4747.
Here’s how to help:

RAll Hands and Hearts -- 508-758-
[email protected]
RAmerican Red Cross - 1-800-HELP
NOW
https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurri-
cane-dorian-donations.html/
RAmericares - 1-800-486-HELP
https://www.americares.org/en/what-we-
do/emergency-programs/ep-hurricane-
dorian/
RCaring for the Bahamas - 1-727-777-
3204
https://www.gofundme.com/f/caring-for-
the-bahamas
RPeople can also order supplies on Ama-
zon to be sent to Bahamas.
https://www.caringforthebahamas.com/
ministries
RCatholic Relief Services - 1-877-435-
7277
https://support.crs.org/donate/hurri-
cane-dorian
RDirect Relief International - 1-805-964-
4767
https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/
hurricane-dorian/
REpiscopal Relief and Development - 1-
855-312-
https://support.episcopalrelief.org/hurri-
cane-relief
RFeed My Starving Children - 1-763-504-
2919
https://www.fmsc.org/the-feed/news-
and-updates/2019/september/hurricanedor-
ian
RGreater Miami Jewish Federation - 1-
305.576.
https://jewishmiami.org/gift/hurricane-
dorian/
RMercy Corps - 1-888-747-
https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/hur-
ricane-dorian-makes-landfall-hrf
RPan American Development Founda-
tion - 1-202-458-
https://www.padf.org/hurricane-dorian
RSalvation Army - 1-800-SAL-ARMY
https://give.helpsalvationarmy.org/
give/166081/#!/donation/checkout
RSamaritan’s Purse - 1-828-262-
People can donate at https://www.samar-
itanspurse.org/our-ministry/hurricane-
dorian-relief
RPeople can sign up to volunteer at
https://www.spvolunteer.org/project-re-
sponse/
RSave the Children - 1-203-221-
http://service.convio.net/mainte-
nance.html?df_id=3562&3562.dona-
tion=form
RThe Grand Bahama Disaster Relief
Fund and Foundation
https://www.gofundme.com/f/grand-ba-
hama-disaster-relief-foundation
RThe Smile Trust - 1-786-877-
https://mthsmile.com/donate/
RUNICEF - 1-800-367-
https://donate.unicefusa.org/page/con-
tribute/help-hurricane-dorian-relief
RWorld Central Kitchen - 1-202-844-
6430
https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/
donation/checkout
RWorld Vision - 1-888-511-
https://donate.worldvision.org/give/di-
saster-relief-in-the-usa

Correspondent Sofia Saric contributed to
this report.

Howtohelp

Dorianvictims

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The MetroMinute

LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF

THE LAST DAYS OF

SUMMER —A cyclist

bumped across the

wooden Sherman

Bridge spanning the

Sudbury River in

Wayland recently.

Cyclists and lovers of

the outdoors alike will

rejoice Wednesday as

temperatures are

expected to rise into

the 80s, with a high of

86 predicted for the

Boston area, before

things cool off again

later in the week. Full

report,G9.

ASSOCIATED PRESS