Taylor Swift Donates $15K to Heroic Firefighter Who Saved His Family After Crash

A heroic firefighter wondered if he received a huge gift from a music superstar after a bizarre turn of events.

According to ABC Eyewitness News in Houston, Amber Van Riper from Huntsville, Texas and her 7-year-old son, Jonathan, were driving northeast of town when their car crossed the center line and struck an oncoming pickup truck. Aaron Van Riper, who is the assistant chief for the Thomas Lake Volunteer Fire Department, responded to the emergency call, but he didn't know the victims were his own wife and son until he arrived at the scene.

Amber's pelvis and back were broken in five places, and she underwent nine hours of surgery on Sunday (June 7). Jonathan suffered a broken leg and arm, but has since returned home, after receiving a hospital visit from Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.

The family doesn't have medical insurance, and they started a GoFundMe page to help raise some of the money for their enormous hospital bills. So far they have raised $85,000 — including a $15,000 donation from someone claiming to be Taylor Swift (Billboard has since confirmed it was the singer.)

"JJ Watt, Taylor Swift. This is some big stuff that I'm not really used to," Van Riper says. "Fifteen thousand dollars... people don't just do that. I would like to thank her."

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