Philadelphia streamer and pastor hit by car while on cross-country walk

Isaiah Thomas was on day 34 of his cross-country trek from Philadelphia to California when he was suddenly hit by a driver while livestreaming on Twitch. 

The 27-year-old is from North Philadelphia and is also known as Minister Zay and hmblzayy online. On March 26, he set out to walk 3,000 miles from Philadelphia to California to raise funds for a faith-based trade school for students in Philly. Every day, Thomas has been taking viewers along the journey in real time.

The viral video shows Thomas walking and pushing a cart on Route 40 in Richmond, Indiana Tuesday afternoon.

A dark blue Mazda can be seen trailing behind him for safety. The driver in that car was one of his viewers on Twitch who came out to support his mission.

A chain reaction unfolds as a silver Buick hits the Mazda, which then runs into Thomas, leading to the chaotic moment.

"From that moment on, I just felt something hit me from the back, and I just went flying in the air," Thomas said. "It felt like everything was in slow motion."

Thomas was able to get back up on his feet almost immediately. 

"When I got hit, I just was thinking, I just hope it's not over yet," Thomas said. 

Police arrived on the scene and Thomas was then taken to a nearby hospital, where he found out he had a sprained ankle, bruising and a concussion.  

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said the driver of the silver Buick was an 82-year-old and a minor was in the passenger seat. The two were also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

"It was a crazy experience, but I'm just blessed to not have major injuries," Thomas said.

Regardless of the shocking incident, Thomas said he's not backing down from completing his walk to California. He'll be resting for the next few days before returning to the exact spot where he was hit and continuing his walk.

"I want to be able to show the world that all things are possible," Thomas said. "You just got to keep pushing."

He plans to raise $200,000 to open up HMBL University, which will give high school graduates opportunities to reach their career goals in Philadelphia.

"It's a blessing to just have thousands of people watching every day and we are encouraging each other, praying for each other," Thomas said. "So, it's bigger than just a walk. It's a movement."

Police are investigating the incident, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.  

CBS News Philadelphia first met Thomas in 2021, when the young entrepreneur was awarded $50,000 through the station's former Small Wins grant program, which provided funding to small businesses in the Philadelphia area.

At the time, Thomas had recently opened a store at Willow Grove Park Mall for his clothing line, Stay Humble Stay Hungry — a brand that quickly gained traction in Philadelphia and other Northeastern cities, helping to catapult his success.