The most viral moment from the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl parade Wednesday wasn’t coach Sean McVay and defensive tackle Aaron Donald saying they want to “run it back” amid their retirement rumors.
It was quarterback Matthew Stafford walking away after seeing a photographer take a scary fall off a stage. A few hours after the video went viral on Twitter, the photographer, Kelly Smiley, tweeted that the fall fractured her spine.
Unfortunately I fractured my spine https://t.co/LeDjF4EJnp
— Kelly Smiley (@kellysmiley23) February 17, 2022
Stafford, who was staring right at Smiley alongside his wife, was criticized by some online after barely showing a reaction to the photographer falling and not trying to help her.
“What an awful look for Matt Stafford,” wrote one Twitter user.
“People are yucking it up or dunking on Stafford but it’s not funny,” tweeted another person.
“Joe Burrow would have helped the photographer back up,” wrote another user.
Smiley, a photo editor with the NFL and for the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, also promoted a GoFundMe page started by her friend. The funds raised, the GoFundMe page says, will cover Smiley’s medical expenses as well as her cameras. More than $42,000 was donated as of Thursday afternoon.
Stafford and his wife, Kelly, said in a joint statement Thursday that they will be paying for Smiley’s hospital bills and to replace her cameras.
“We have been in communication with Kelly Smiley since yesterday’s incident and we are sorry for what happened,” the couple wrote. “As we told Kelly, we will be covering all her hospital bills and replacing her cameras. We wish her a speedy recovery.”
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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