'I Thought I Was Safe': For First Time, Edina Student Injured In Hit-And-Run Shares Her Story
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A teenager hit by a car while waiting for the school bus says she remembers everything that happened.
Kyla Avant shared her story for the first time on Friday. She was hit on Jan. 23 at France and Halifax in Edina. Police believe the driver of the black car saw the flashing lights and the bus stop arm extended but still went around the bus, hitting Kyla.
"I haven't talked about it," said Avant through her tears.
An emotional Kyla Avant opens up about the day she says changed her whole life.
"I was just getting on my bus or so I thought and then I got hit," Avant said.
The 17-year-old says the car came out of nowhere. It went around the school bus, striking Kyla as she was waiting to get on.
"Nobody's supposed to be going around a bus. I thought I was protected. I thought I was safe," Avant said.
She remembers everything. She recalls being flung through the air like a rag doll.
"Wow this is going to be bad and I thought when I landed that I couldn't feel my legs at first because I think I was in shock. I thought I was paralyzed and I was just really scared," Avant said.
It's taken a toll on her physically. She's in pain. But Kyla knows the mental recovery will take longer.
"After knowing people didn't stop in the car, it was like 'wow they don't care at all.' I just felt heartbroken because I didn't think anyone was capable of doing that. I always try to see the good in people," Avant said.
She says people have lifted her spirits. Strangers stopped that day to keep her warm and calm.
Kids wrote get well cards. And bus drivers visited her home.
"People actually care and that's so crazy. People can be so bad but people can be so good and I never would have thought I'd receive so much support and it's really helped me a lot," Avant said.
In the end, she wants one thing from the driver.
"Please turn yourself in because I'm literally broken now," Avant said.
Police located the car that hit Kyla in Mankato. They have not offered any more updates on who the driver is or if they've identified who's responsible.
Kyla plans to go back to school on Monday. It will all depend on how she's feeling that day.