Deserae Turner to hold dinner to raise money for a robotic arm

April Turner with her daughter Deserae who is raising money for a robotic arm to give her paralyzed arm and hand movement.

AMALGA – Deserae Turner is looking forward to finishing Green Canyon High School. She has many things she would like to accomplish after graduation. Her immediate goal is to raise enough money to buy a robotic assist arm.

Deserae Turner is trying to raise funds to obtain a robotic arm that will let her use her paralyzed left arm and hand.

The arm will strap to the side of her arm and connect to two of her fingers and a thumb. It will give movement to her paralyzed left side.

“Initially, we thought the robotic arm was going to cost $55,000, but they were later told it may cost as much as $88,000,” April her mother said. “It would be game changer for her.”

The newest fundraising activity is a prime rib dinner to be held at the Vineyard at Mt Naomi Farms, March 27, starting at 6 p.m. The dinner will cost $25 a plate.

“Dale, Jay and Kirk Broadhead from Circle B Irrigation offered to help us with a fundraising dinner,” April said. “Lowers said they would donate the meat.”

They are hoping for 400 people to attend the dinner.

“The food and venue have been donated,” April said. “All funds raised will go directly towards Deserae’s prosthetic robotic arm.”

The Turner’s are also selling T-shirts, hoodies and zipper hoodies with Deserea’s catchphrase Tougher than a Bullet. They have also opened Venmo and a GoFundMe accounts.

“Badger Screen Printing has been good to us,” April said. “They are the ones printing the shirts and hoodies.”

The Turners are trying to sell T-shirts and Hoodies with Deserae’s catchphrase “Tougher Than a Bullet,” to help purchase a robotic arm.

Deserae said she has big dreams after graduation and the arm would be a big factor in helping her accomplish them.

“I have big dreams after graduation,” Deserae said. “It’s the last year I can raise a pig for the Cache County Fair and I want to do it.”

She also loves plants and she talked to the people at Garden Gateway and wants to be a volunteer for them this summer.

She also added training service dogs to her list, helping to train service dogs.

“When I can, I also want to work at Berries-n-Cream shop near North Walmart,” Deserae said.

After things slow a bit she wants to attend the Aggie Elevated. Aggie Elevated is a Utah State University program for people with disabilities.

Long term, the gunshot survivor would also like to write a book.

The road has been tough for the Turner family. And they expressed appreciation for everyone being so good to them.

“We couldn’t have done what we have done without their help,” April said. ”The community has been so good to us.”

Deserae Turner her father Matt and mother April are waiting there turn for her to show her service dog at the Cache County Fair in 2019.

Deserae still has costly and frequent doctor’s appointments and travels to Salt Lake City.

This will be the first summer she will have a break.

On Feb, 16, 2017, 14 year-old Desreae was lured into a Smithfield canal, shot and left for dead by two school mates Jayzon Decker and Colter Peterson. She laid in the canal for eight hours before being found.

Both boys are now serving 15 years-to-life for the shooting.


CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated Deserae Turner attends Sky View High School. It has been corrected to indicate she attends Green Canyon High School

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6 Comments

  • Deedee March 4, 2020 at 9:45 pm Reply

    Awesome family! Worthy cause. Take the family to dinner and help purchase more independence for this remarkable young lady. God bless.

  • Darla D. Clark March 4, 2020 at 10:31 pm Reply

    I would like to donate some money is there somewhere on Line or address I can send a donation to
    Darla

  • Karen March 5, 2020 at 1:48 pm Reply

    Unless she has changed schools she is a student at Green Canyon.

  • Deidra March 6, 2020 at 9:23 pm Reply

    Does anyone know how to purchase tickets for the dinner?

  • Deedee March 7, 2020 at 10:39 pm Reply

    Call MT Naomi farms. They should know how to purchase tickets.

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