A Minnesota woman is being remembered as a source of light and kindness after she died in a car crash while returning home from the Electric Forest Music Festival, and friends have launched a fundraiser to support her boyfriend, who survived the wreck but remains hospitalized.
Anna Melicher, of Eveleth, Minnesota, and her boyfriend, Chase Schaffer, were passengers in a vehicle that crashed as the group made its way back from the festival, held annually in Rothbury, Michigan.
Melicher died from injuries sustained in the crash, while Schaffer was hospitalized and continues to receive treatment.
Friends organized a GoFundMe campaign titled “Support for Chase’s Recovery and Anna’s Memorial” to help cover Schaffer’s medical bills and lost wages, along with funeral costs for Melicher. As of Wednesday, the campaign had raised nearly $25,000 of its $35,000 goal, with more than 260 people contributing.
A Life Devoted to Children and Community
According to the fundraiser page, organized by Cameron Kurisko, Melicher worked with elementary school children who had speech disabilities, a role friends say reflected her caring nature.
She was described as someone whose warmth and humor brightened every room she entered and who left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.
Melicher graduated from Eveleth Gilbert Senior High School in 2020 and went on to study at St. Cloud State University, where she was enrolled as of August 2021.
She had built a large circle of friends and was well known within Minnesota’s electronic music community. This year’s trip to Electric Forest marked her second time attending the festival, an event she reportedly looked forward to each year.
Organizers say Schaffer does not have health insurance and will be unable to work for an extended period while he recovers from his injuries, adding financial strain on top of the emotional toll of losing his girlfriend.
Friends have described the couple as deeply close, and news of the crash has spread quickly through their shared social circles.
Friends Ask Community to Share and Support
In posts shared widely on Facebook, friends of the couple asked others to donate or simply share the fundraiser link to widen its reach.
One friend wrote that life is far too short and urged others to pass along support however they could, whether through donations or by sharing the campaign with others.
Kurisko, who organized the fundraiser, wrote that the money raised will go toward Schaffer’s medical expenses, his loss of income during recovery, and the cost of funeral arrangements for Melicher.
He described her as someone who touched countless lives and said she would be deeply missed by the many people who knew her.
The fundraiser remains active, with donations continuing to come in from both friends and strangers moved by the story.
Organizers say every contribution, no matter the size, is helping ease the burden on Schaffer and Melicher’s family during an incredibly difficult time.
