Fundraiser started for family of young Blackfoot woman who tragically died in car accident

Money is being raised for the family of a 20-year-old Blackfoot woman after she tragically passed away in an automobile accident in Montpelier on Saturday.

The woman, whom the Bear Lake County Coroner’s Office identified as Abigail Thornley, died of injuries she sustained in the crash on Highway 89 west of Montpelier.

The crash occurred at 8:44 a.m. when a southbound 2017 Chevy Spark subcompact car that Thornley was driving collided with a northbound 2019 GMC Terrain compact SUV driven by a 35-year-old woman from Ovid, authorities said.

A GoFundMe online fundraiser was recently started by Shaun Allen, manager at LaBeau’s Drive-In located in Garden City, Utah, where Thornley was employed. Thornley was LaBeau’s Sweet Shop manager and was en-route to her job when the accident occurred.

Thornley had a passion for music and theater, discovering her talent and voice at a young age.

“Abby was in numerous musical plays throughout her school years,” her obituary stated. “From being a small gorilla in ‘Tarzan,’ to lead roles in ‘Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’ as Violet, Marian the librarian in ‘The Music Man,’ and Princess Fiona in ‘Shrek The Musical,’ she excelled and gave it her all. After graduating as a Blackfoot Bronco, Abby’s love for music never faded. When she couldn’t be heard around her house singing, she could be heard on the stage while raising money for victims of human trafficking.”

In addition to the three summers Thornley spent working at LaBeau’s Drive-In with her brother and friends she spent the last year-and-a-half working as a paraprofessional for the Blackfoot School District at Groveland Elementary School where she was adorned by the children who attended there, her obituary said.

Thornley had a heart for adventure and was planning potential trips to Thailand and New York City before she unexpectedly passed away.

Thornley is survived by her parents John and Megan Thornley and her brother Hunter, who she had a close relationship with, along with her grandparents Ron and Karen Gutke and Julie Thornley.

Thornley will assuredly be missed deeply by those who knew her best, including her friends, family and everyone she inspired during her journey through life.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3,at the Shelley South Stake Center, located at 675 S. Milton Ave. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Nalder Funeral Home, located at 110 W. Oak St., in Shelley and Saturday from 9:30 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. at the church. The burial will be in the Taylor Cemetery in Idaho Falls.

For anyone interested in helping with funeral expenses or other expenditures you can donate to Thornley’s GoFundMe at gofundme.com/f/support-for-abigail-thornleys-family . As of Tuesday evening, the online fundraiser has earned $12,375 of its $13,000 goal.{/div}