Woman faces long recovery after being hit by car on her way to work

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Katrina Elliott has one the friendliest smiles at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office.

She's been working at the courthouse for two years, but on May 24 her life changed forever.

Katrina was on her way to work, crossing Twigg Street in downtown Tampa when she was hit by a car.

"I was walking to work, doing my daily thing," explained Katrina. "My last memory was crossing Kennedy. Next thing I know, I'm in the ER at Tampa General. I kept asking them, 'What happened to me? What happened to me?'"

Katrina says she never saw it coming.

"They told me it’s a miracle I'm alive and I know it is," she said.

Katrina's injuries are extensive. She has undergone multiple surgeries, with rods and screws now in her arm and pelvis.

She needs 24-hour care and will have to re-learn how to walk.

Her mother, Gloria Elliott, a retired nurse, is now her full-time caregiver.

"It’s going to be a struggle but she will make it," said Gloria.

Before the accident, Katrina was working two jobs to make ends meet, making her road to recovery seem even more challenging.

Her family and friends are raising money online to help with her mounting medical bills. The love and support from her family at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office hasn't stopped. Despite her injuries, Katrina says her spirit and heart are stronger than ever.

"I plan on going back [to work]. I keep telling my co-workers they are gonna see me walk through that front door. Walk through those front doors," Katrina said with a determined smile.

The driver who hit Katina was cited for running a red light and told police the sun blinded him. He went to the hospital to see Katrina - and he apologized.

Katrina hopes what happened to her is a lesson for drivers to slow down and pay attention because, in a split second, you could change someone's life forever.