by Good news for friends, family and fans of Ashley Barnhill (plus Barnhill herself!), as the stand-up comedian is back onstage and on the mend, a year after a car struck her while jogging and nearly killed her.
The accident happened May 21, 2020, as Barnhill was jogging along a Los Angeles sidewalk. She endured five brain surgeries and had new skull implants. When she got out of the hospital last July, she returned to her native Texas to recuperate. A GoFundMe established in December so far has raised more than $88,400.
Barnhill, who toured in 2019 with Dave Chappelle, also received encouragement from Chappelle when he visited Austin over the winter. And when Barnhill was finally ready to get back onstage, she did so in late May at Chappelle’s outdoor venue in Yellow Springs, Ohio. And now Barnhill can count herself not only lucky to be alive, but also as one of the several comedians who have made Austin their comedy home.
Days before the accident, she’d filmed this short about pandemic life, “Virus Vulture.” She wound up editing it from her hospital bed.
