Tacoma teen recovering from serious injuries after car accident

TACOMA, Wash. — For the last three weeks, Sovannkiry Min has been glued to her son's bedside at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma.

“You got to be strong. Mommy got to be strong, too,” Min whispers to her son.

Visal Khim, 17, was critically injured when he was hit by a car while walking across the street in the 6800 block of Portland Avenue East the morning of Oct. 24.

When Min learned what happened, Visal was already at the hospital, fighting for his life.

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“I'm crying. So I don’t know. I never seen that before. I lost my mind,” Min recounted of that day.

Min said Visal was walking to catch the bus to Lincoln High School where he's a junior.

Tacoma police said Visal was not in a crosswalk. And the driver, who was not cited, didn't see him until it was too late.

Min, whose first language is Khmer, told KIRO 7 she's in pain. She's grateful her son is alive but is struggling with what's next. She said doctors haven't indicated whether he'll walk again or whether he has any permanent brain damage.

“He's good boy. I love him. He always help me a lot,” Min added.

She's a single mom who also has two younger children to care for.

She works at Emerald Queen Casino, but is taking some time off now.

“I worry about when I'm not work. So just problem about pay bill. I have a lot of bill to pay,” Min explained.

Her priority  is focusing on Visal's recovery and preparing for what his future may now hold.

The GoFund Me is linked here.

Cox Media Group