Teenage girl still recovering following horrific crash in North Phoenix
PHOENIX - Two sisters who were injured in a horrible wreck are still on the road to recovery.
The accident The day began like any normal day, with 16-year-old Ariana Colosimo and 10-year-old Gia Colosimo heading to school.
Everything changed, however, in the blink of an eye.
The accident happened on February 20, and the sisters have since seen each other for the first time since that fateful day.
Ariana and Gia were in the car with their mother, who was driving to school to drop them off. The mother was driving a black sedan and making a left turn at the intersection of Central and Northern Avenues when a collision happened.
In all, five people, all between the ages of 10 and 18, were taken to the hospital.
“It was shocking. You are almost numb. You don't even understand what is going on. It is incredibly devastating," said Katie Rounds, a close friend of the family.
Rounds has been visiting the family in the hospital ever since, and says Gia was in the hospital for severe head injuries, and was in intensive care for two days.
“She is now back from the hospital. A lot of her energy is focused on [Ariana] and her healing,” said Rounds.
Ariana is still recovering at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She was seated at the front seat of the car, and the impact severed her spinal cord.
“She had the most severe injuries in the accident, and likely will for several more weeks,” said Rounds.
Ariana is the junior class president for Sunnyslope High School. She is also a varsity cheerleader, soccer player, and a member of the track team.
Rounds says she knows Ariana will pull through this.
“She is a fighter. She is determined and the most motivated kid that I know. We are hopeful that she is going to recover in some way from the accident," said Rounds.
Rounds has set up a GoFundMe and put a $100,000 limit on it, but never expected it to get that high., However, as of Tuesday afternoon, people have donated about $85,000.