Photographer Fractures Spine While Taking Matthew Stafford's Picture at Rams Parade

The Los Angeles Rams held their Super Bowl parade on Wednesday. The parade ended with a rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. NFL photographer Kelly Smiley was on stage setting up to take a picture of Matthew Stafford when she fell off the stage and fractured her spine. The fall was caught on video and does not show her landing.

Unfortunately I fractured my spine https://t.co/LeDjF4EJnp
— Kelly Smiley (@kellysmiley23) February 17, 2022

The video made the rounds last night not just because of Smiley's fall, but because of Matthew Stafford's reaction as he says something to his wife and walks away while Kelly Stafford goes to the edge of the stage to check on Smiley.

According to her website, Smiley is a full-time photo editor for the NFL, in addition to working LA Kings games and doing freelance work. A GoFundMe was quickly set up to cover her "growing medical expenses" and buy new camera gear.

Kelly ended up in the hospital with a fractured spine, we set up a go fund me to help her out. Please consider donating ??https://t.co/0RoLkuxdwH
— Tim Kothlow (@t_kothlow) February 17, 2022

Crowdfunding is always a nice story, but the multi-billion dollar companies she was working for when she got hurt should probably be paying for all this since it happened on the job. Hopefully, Smiley makes a full and fast recovery and doesn't have to rely on the kindness of strangers to do so.