Palmetto Animal League keeps Bluffton teen’s memory alive through new fund
More than four months after a Bluffton teen lost her life after a hit-and-run crash, one of the places she spent her time is honoring her in the best way they know how - through the homeless animals she loved.
Grace Sulak, 14, died May 7 on eastbound I-26 after the vehicle she was in was struck by an unknown driver, ran off the roadway and hit a tree. The crash also injured Andrea Dewey and her daughter, Emma Dewey, Sulak’s best friend. The trio had been on their way back to Bluffton from a Columbia track meet.
Her death hit the Bluffton community hard - including the Palmetto Animal League in Ridgeland.
“She became a very familiar face around here,” Amy Campanini, president of the animal league, said on Friday. “You knew that every time she spent 10 minutes with a group of dogs or cats that they knew they were loved.”
Sulak and her family often volunteered at the shelter, Campanini said. To keep her spirit alive, the organization launched the Grace Sulak Tribute Fund on Tuesday.
“As a tribute to Grace, this fund was created to help pets with urgent medical needs,” according to the fund’s website page.
The fund will continue year-round, Campanini said.
“We just felt like, what could we do to honor her and also give back?” she said. “Her personality appeals to runners and dog lovers. There are so many people who are attracted to her story.”
Caitlin Turner: 843-706-8184, @Cait_E_Turner
Crash driver still at large
The other driver involved in the crash that killed GRace Sulak has not been identified but was driving a white Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck, according to SC Highway Patrol investigators.
Anyone with information about the vehicle can call the patrol at 843-953-6010 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CrimeSC.
This story was originally published September 23, 2016 at 3:41 PM with the headline "Palmetto Animal League keeps Bluffton teen’s memory alive through new fund."