Teen recovering after being hit by car outside Laney High School

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - 16-year-old Kimora Spencer was headed to Laney High School on the evening of Jan. 3 when her life changed for the foreseeable future.

Spencer was hit by a car as she crossed N. College Road, leaving her with a head injury and several broken bones in her pelvis. She was taken to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and later flown to another hospital in Chapel Hill.

“She’s doing OK with it and she knows that we’re here to support her,” her mom, Kimberly Spicer, said. “She’s just taking it one day at a time but she’s up and moving and about and stuff, so that’s a good thing.”

Since then, Kimora hasn’t gone back to school as she focuses on healing. She’s also started using a walker to get around most places.

Kimberly said she’s been working to keep Kimora’s spirits up. They’ve spent a lot of time at doctor’s appointments and working on exercises to help with her recovery.

“It’s mainly just not being able to run up and down the stairs like she usually do, and just move at her fast pace. It’s at a slower pace right now,” Kimberly said.

Now, Kimberly is working to get in contact with local officials to see what can be done to improve safety along N. College Road, especially near Laney High School and Trask Middle School where students frequently cross.

Her main concern: the road has very few streetlights, making visibility very low when it’s dark outside. She said she’s already started making calls and hopes to get in contact with someone who can help, like Wilmington’s Transportation Engineering Department and streetlight coordinator.

“I’m just hoping there’s a way I can find out about them getting a light over there, get something over there for those kids,” Kimberly said. “I don’t want that to happen to another child trying to cross that street.”

She said she’s grateful for all the support she and her family have received in the weeks since the incident occurred. Most importantly, she’s glad it wasn’t worse.

“I told her, you know, those scars, they’ll go away,” Kimberly said. “I’m just glad that she’s still here. She’s still here, she’s up and walking. So, I told her after you come through this, you’re going to come through this a lot stronger than you even know that you are.”

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