TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — A 17-year-old girl nearly died after she was hit by a driver in Taylorsville early Sunday morning.
Maddie Anderson and her brother Spencer were driving home from country swing dancing when their car was hit by another driver near 4430 S. Atherton Drive.
“I really honestly thought I was going to lose her — we were going to lose her right then and there," said her father James Anderson. "It was terrifying, and the feeling of hopelessness."
He and his wife were woken up by their son, who called to tell them about the accident. Police believe the 39-year-old man who hit them was driving impaired.
Maddie was still unconscious and stuck in the car when her parents arrived at the scene.
"One of the firefighters turned to me and he said, 'I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for you — this is bad. She's not in good shape,'" James recalled.
Thankfully, James said, Maddie is a fighter and is still holding on with the help of a breathing tube after fracturing her neck, femur and pelvis and undergoing two surgeries.
Knowing the driver is being investigated for impaired driving is something that as, a father, is frustrating for James to comprehend.
"I look at it as being a very selfish act to drive impaired," he said.
He said Maddie, a junior at Murray High School, barely made it out alive. Now, she is fighting to recover enough to do the things she loves like running, dancing and playing hockey.
"Madalyn is going to recover just fine. I think. I hope. I pray," said James. "But there's a lot of people that don't, and she's not out of the woods yet either."
He said he hopes people will think twice before getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
"Go home with a designated driver. Save a life. Save someone else's life," he said.
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for Maddie's hospital expenses.
