77-year-old woman plunges from overpass

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - A 77-year-old woman is lucky to be alive after her car crashed and plummeted from a highway overpass in Lakeland Tuesday night. 

According to Florida Highway Patrol, Ruth Windham was traveling eastbound on Polk Parkway when her 2008 Buick entered the left lane, colliding with another car. The impact sent Windham's vehicle over the guardrail. 

The car fell from the parkway onto Cleveland Heights Boulevard below, where it landed on the driver's side. 

The Lakeland Fire Department had to extricate Windham from the vehicle. She was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. 

The driver of the other car suffered no injuries. 

Windham's family has gone to Facebook to ask for prayers and give an update on her condition. A family friend said that she will be going into her second surgery Thursday morning.

They also write, "Her spleen was removed because it was bleeding, and her liver was bleeding. She has a collapsed lung. She has fractures and internal bleeding/bruising in her neck."

Friends and family are thankful she is alive but know the road to recovery will not be easy.