UPDATE ON WELA: The 95-year-old Texas grandmother whose badly bruised face stopped so many of you scrolling on my page has now been REMOVED from the nursing home and her family tells me she is SAFE.

And after everything that has happened, they have something much happier to focus on.

Wela turns 96 on October 2nd.

Four days ago, her granddaughter JoAnna reached out after relatives found Wela with both eyes bruised and her face swollen.

Her family says they were told she had rolled out of bed and struck her face on a drawer, but JoAnna said they received conflicting information about when it happened.

Her family ultimately called EMS themselves.

Thankfully, JoAnna says doctors found a hematoma but no brain bleed, skull fracture or signs of a concussion.

The family filed a police report and JoAnna says a state licensing investigation was opened.

I’m continuing not to identify the facility because the circumstances surrounding Wela’s injuries remain under investigation.

But there is one update her family has been waiting to share:

“Wela has been safely removed from the nursing home where she received her injuries and is now safe.”

A lot of you asked if there was a fundraiser or some way to help.

JoAnna says her family is fortunate enough to financially provide for Wela and they are NOT asking for money.

Instead, if you want to do something for her, they’d love to shower Wela with a little extra love for her 96th birthday.

She loves long nightgowns in size SMALL, warm socks, little head coverings, small warm blankets, plants and flowers. Wela is also a devoted Apostolic, so JoAnna says anything connected to her faith in God would bring her joy.

With JoAnna’s permission, birthday gifts for Wela can be mailed to:

Wela
c/o JoAnna
308 Texas St.
Gladewater, TX 75647

JoAnna says she’ll wrap everything and take it to Wela for her birthday.

What a difference four days can make.

The first time I showed you Wela, her family was desperately trying to get her somewhere safe.

Now she IS safe, and instead of asking strangers for money, her family is asking anyone who wants to show her some love to help make 96 feel pretty special.

Even if you don’t send a thing, leave Wela an early birthday message below.

JoAnna hopes we can all share prayers to make sure this grandmother knows just how many people were rooting for her.