Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams will cover photographer Kelly Smiley's hospital bills after she fell from stage and fractured spine
The Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife Kelly said Thursday they are paying the medical bills of a photographer who fell from a stage and was injured during the team's Super Bowl rally.
A GoFundMe page created to help Kelley Smiley with her hospital bills and broken camera said the photographer fractured her spine. CBS News verified the fundraiser, which has been been put on pause after the Staffords and Rams got involved to help the journalist.
"We have been in communication with Kelly Smiley since yesterday's incident and we are sorry for what happened," the Rams and the Staffords said in a joint statement Thursday obtained CBS Los Angeles. "As we told Kelly, we will be covering all her hospital bills and replacing her cameras. We wish her a speedy recovery."
According to the GoFundMe, Smiley was discharged from the hospital and is resting at home. The page raised more than $48,000 as of Friday morning.
On Wednesday, a live broadcast of the celebration outside Veteran's Memorial Coliseum showed Stafford walking away as Smiley, who was taking photos of the event, stumbled off stage. Stafford's wife was visibly concerned and walked toward Smiley before the feed cut off.
Stafford won his first championship after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the Super Bowl on Sunday. They did it on their home field — the $5 billion SoFi Stadium — making the Rams the second consecutive host team to win the championship after Tampa Bay became the first a year ago.
