‘It’s just horrific’: Summit HS grad critically injured in Hawaii moped crash

(Update: Adding video, comments from Bella's family)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bella Grinsell is a native Oregonian and graduate of Summit High School. For the past five years, she's been attending the University of Hawaii in Manoa.

The 23-year-old has been studying family resources and human development, aspiring to contribute to the well-being of the homeless and bring comfort to foster children in the future.

“All she does is give. She’s a very giving person.” her father, Mark Hopkins, said Friday.

For more than a decade, Bella's family has played an active role in the Bend community, as the owners of Ziggy's Ice Cream Trucks and Bend's Party Bus.

Last Saturday, January 7th, Bella was driving her moped to meet up with her cousin before school started up again. They were planning to have a relaxing day at the beach.

While riding her moped, she rear-ended a car trying to make a left turn. Then she swerved into another lane and was hit by another vehicle.

Bella was taken to The Queens Medical Center in Honolulu and was immediately put on a ventilator.

Her sister, Jasmine Hopkins, recalled, "Paramedics said that the most obvious was her broken femur. It was a clean snap right in the middle of her thigh."

She also is currently suffering a severe concussion, brain bleed and road rash. 

Bella's family said she was not wearing a helmet during the crash because she had loaned hers to someone else.

Her father said, "I think one of the things that really make me most upset is, Hawaii doesn't have a helmet law, and they don't require insurance on those scooters."

Bella's mom, Paulina Grinsell-Hopkins, said receiving the phone call from the hospital was horrific.

"I'm like, trying to breathe through it," she said. "I can't understand what they're saying. They'd just talked to her. So it was so confusing for me why they were asking these questions. When they said 'Jane Doe,' I immediately assumed she was dead."

Her family says medical bills are a challenge, since her insurance here does not get her coverage in Hawaii. They're grateful her injuries were not life-threatening, but it has been a difficult journey.

Her mother said, "She's like, 'Why is this happening to me?' She's crying. She's like,' I'm not a bad person.'. She's like, 'All I ever do was help people, and I just want to help people.'"

Jasmine Hopkins posted an update about Bella on Facebook on Wednesday. She said Bella was "holding conversations, expressing how she feels, cracking a smile and giggling occasionally. … She was determined to move around and really try to get on the path of healing."

Doctors say her recovery could take three to ten months.

Her family appreciates the support from their Bend community.

"They've been sending flowers. Her room is full of flowers and balloons right now. Lots of prayers... everybody is praying for her." said Mark Hopkins.

They are hoping to raise funds online to help ease her stress and to make the healing journey a little easier on her.