Beloved Dearborn Heights basketball coach still recovering in hospital after fiery crash with semitruck
The woman who was pulled to safety after a fiery crash with a semitruck on March 18 in Canton Township, Michigan, is still recovering in the hospital.
"Jala is really nice. She's the best coach," said Ava Kharoubi, one of the girls that Jala Petree coaches.
Jala Petree is a beloved coach at Hype Athletics in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, but after the serious March 18 crash, she won't be coaching this summer.
"She coaches the fourth-grade team, our girls team here, and they're amazing and she's done such a good job with them, which is tough for them losing their coach this summer," said Jamey Petree, Jala's father.
Following the crash that involved a semi truck, Jala Petree was pulled to safety by good Samaritans at the scene, but was badly hurt.
"Her femur was broke in half, her hips were dislocated, she had severe head trauma, broken nose, second-degree burns on her body, she was on fire," said Jamey Petree.
In the weeks since the incident, she's had multiple surgeries, seizures and has needed round-the-clock care at the hospital, but she's survived.
"Every day she's been fighting and we've seen progress every day," said Jamey Petree.
Basketball is a big part of the tight-knit family and her younger sister, Lasha Petree, said she thinks it will play a big part in her recovery, too.
"I think that she's going to have a big motivation to tell her story, and get back to the kids and sharing her gifts in basketball," said Lasha Petree. "I think she takes a lot of joy in being able to give that part of her life to the younger generations."
The family said they are endlessly grateful to the people who pulled Jala Petree from the wreckage and for the support they've gotten from the community.
"I don't know how they just ran into that situation and just saved everybody. I can't imagine what they were going through, even on that, in my heart I'm so grateful to them and we're definitely going to reach out to them and do something for them because they saved my daughter," said Jamey Petree.
