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A GoFundMe page has raised nearly $43,000 for Hicks, 18, who was involved in the crash on March 16 while on spring break in Panama City, Florida.
According to a police report, Hicks was one of seven people injured when the driver of a Chevy Silverado failed to yield to their golf cart as it made a left turn and had the right-of-way. Those riding in the golf cart, including Hicks, were thrown out and injured. The driver of the truck was not injured.
According to the GoFundMe page set-up for Hicks, she has had “surgery on her arm, jaw, pelvis, shoulder and her jaw again. She has had a few bumps in the road as well as some positive signs.”
Sarah Swan, spokeswoman for Centerville City Schools, said that Hicks is a 2019 graduate of Centerville High School.
Eddie and Dena Hicks were notified about the incident right after it happened and took the first flight out of Ohio. Eddie owns the small business Triton Home Improvement, and Dena is a stay-at-home mom.
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Eddie told the Dayton Daily News Tuesday afternoon that the past few weeks have been a blur, but his daughter is a fighter and has made remarkable progress from her injuries.
“She is strong and is a fighter and is home now,” he said.
Hicks is a student at the University of Kentucky. She was on break with friends and had met up with two other people from Alabama and they were all on the golf cart when it was hit by the truck. One girl had a punctured lung, as did Hicks, and when she tried to fly home the altitude had an adverse effect. That is why Eddie decided to drive his daughter home Sunday, though it took a little over 12 hours.
“We rented a Pacifica and had a mattress put in there and I didn’t want to take a chance on flying Lexi home,” Eddie said, adding that his daughter is talking and gaining strength and will see a doctor on Wednesday for further treatment and evaluation as she works to improve.
Members of the Centerville community aided by the police, who helped control traffic, drove by the family’s home on Monday upon their return to show support from their vehicles to Lexi and the family.
“The camaraderie here, the people and the way they care about others and what they did Monday was amazing,” Eddie said. “That was really special and it meant a lot to us.”
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