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Fans Raise More Than $70k For 'Mad Max: Fury Road' Stuntwoman Following Head Injury

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By Danielle Ryan

Imagine putting your life on the line at work every day to make someone else look good. That's the reality for stunt performers, and it gets worse when they actually get hurt. Stuntwoman Dayna Grant was injured on the set of an upcoming project, and health insurance wouldn't cover her treatment. Thankfully, friends and fans rose to the challenge to ensure she could get life-saving surgery. More than $70,000 was raised in just over 24 hours, which will cover Grant's surgery and some aftercare therapy.

While you might not recognize Grant, you've certainly seen her do some wild stunts. She was Charlize Theron's stunt double on Mad Max: Fury Road and in Snow White and the Huntsman. She has worked as Lucy Lawless's stunt double for years, from Xena: Warrior Princess to Ash vs. Evil Dead. She has also performed in Wonder Woman 1984, The Meg, and Mulan. 

Grant was suffering from symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury and went in for more testing, where she was unfortunately diagnosed with an 8mm aneurysm and upper spinal injuries that require immediate surgery. Insurance wouldn't cover the injury, and the New Zealand public health system had extended waiting times, so Grant turned to crowdfunding.

A Little Help from her Friends

After posting her Givealittle campaign (it's like a Kiwi GoFundMe), some of Grant's high-profile friends took to Twitter to give it a boost. Lawless was especially supportive, tweeting about the fundraiser frequently and promising to match all donations that used the hashtag #XenaLove.

Xena and Ash vs. Evil Dead producer Rob Tapert penned his own message, noting the incredible injuries Grant has survived over the years. The two have worked together for decades, and Grant was working as assistant stunt coordinator on his new film, Evil Dead Rise. 

A Sweet Success for this Stuntwoman

Despite the fundraiser only being online for a day, Grant has completed her $60,000 goal and then some. A source close to her confirmed that she has scheduled her surgery for July 26, and that any extra funds will be used for physical therapy and occupational therapy while she recovers. A teary-eyed Grant took to her own twitter to post a short video thanking everyone for their support.

"Hey everyone. I just wanted to, I don't know how to say this, (I'm) absolutely speechless with all the love and support (...) from everyone all around the world," she says with a smile before joking about her appearance.

"I couldn't write it in a message, I just want to reply to all of you and I can't," she explained. "Thank you all so much. Thank you."

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