Hit And Run Survivor Hopes To One Day Dance Again
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Lisa Brunet is hoping to get back into the swing of things soon.
The former model is temporarily wheelchair bound after she was struck by a hit and run driver in Denton Square on June 27th.
"Apparently when I walked across the street, a truck was going about 50 mph. Some people said he went through a red light and it was a black pickup truck," she said.
Brunet was hospitalized with several broken bones, including a shattered tibia and fibula, a fractured pelvis, several fractured vertebrae and a fractured shoulder. Many of her broken bones are now held together with titanium screws and stainless steel plates.
Miraculously, Brunet didn't suffer brain damage or damage to internal organs.
"They told me nothing happened that couldn't be fixed, which is really amazing because I should have died," she said.
But after weeks in the hospital, three surgeries and a month of rehabilitation and physical therapy, Brunet's medical bills were in the hundreds of thousands.
Friends she met through swing dancing have been raising money for her, through benefit events, including a swing dancing benefit that took place Saturday night in the Art Building on the University of North Texas campus. The money has helped Burnet pay her bills and remain a communication design student at the university.
"It is a truly a miracle," said Kerry Wade, a friend of Burnet's and organizer of the swing dancing benefit. "I see the progress that she's made."
The driver who hit Burnet has never been found, but Brunet's faith has helped her through.
"God really protected me. I'm mostly focusing on getting better," Brunet said.
Despite the immense challenges of rehab, the former model and swing dancer, says she's has no doubt she'll be back on her feet soon enough.
"It's good motivation because it makes me impatient to get out of the chair," she said. "I can't wait to be up and dancing again."
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