New Hampshire Teacher, 30, Who Suffered Stroke ‘Over the Moon’ After Outpouring of Support

The 30-year-old Dover teacher and yoga instructor who suffered a stroke last week is back resting at home and "over-the-moon grateful" for the community support that saw more than 50,000 raised for her in wake of the incident, according to her friend and fundraiser organizer Alexa Lizotte.

Reached by phone on Thursday, Lizotte said her friend Erin Murphy is feeling relatively well after suffering a stroke caused by a carotid artery dissection and blood clot that required her to undergo emergency surgery last week at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Lizotte said Murphy has use of her basic motor skills and has been able to speak in fluent sentences and even dabble in walking.

While Murphy was in the hospital, Lizotte started a fundraiser on GoFundMe that broke through it's $50,000 goal and had raised $51,725 at the time of publication. Lizotte said Murphy was overwhelmed with gratitude when she learned about the vast outpouring of community support.

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"She was super overwhelmed but so, so grateful," Lizotte told Seacoast Current. "We obviously never expected for that to happen. But she was so thankful to everyone who reached out, donated, or even just sent her a message. She's such a great person and it was so nice to see her floored in such a great way."

Lizotte, who said she and Murphy have known each other since undergoing yoga-teacher training about four years ago, relayed that Murphy is a music teacher at Garrison Elementary School in Dover and teaches yoga at Bending Bodhi & HD Fitness, which is also in Dover. Murphy also has two dogs and a boyfriend, Billy Kottage, whom Lizotte said "saved (Erin's) life" with his quick action bringing Murphy to the emergency room during the early stages of the stroke.

"Erin is one of the healthiest people I know," Lizotte said. "We still are really confused as to what happened and why. It came out of nowhere and was just insane how it happened."

Murphy has another surgery scheduled in February to further repair her carotid artery, wherein she is expected to receive a stent.

"All things considered, we're just really thankful that she's okay and she's home," Lizotte said, adding that the GoFundMe page will remain active. "She has a long road of recovery ahead but we're so happy she made it through. ... She's so, so, so grateful to everyone who donated or reached out. She's just over-the-moon grateful with how supportive this community has been."