Crandall High volleyball player hit by pickup truck while walking to football game

A Crandall ISD high school girl is still recovering at the hospital a week after being struck by a pickup truck while walking to a football game.

Veralynn Salameh's father, Nader, said his daughter had just returned from playing a volleyball game last Friday. She and a friend changed clothes at Crandall High School before heading to the Freshman Center for the varsity football game.

The two buildings are about a half mile apart on F.M. 3039 but there are no lights or crosswalks.

Police said at some point, around 9:00 p.m., the girls tried to cross the road and were hit by a pickup truck.

Nader said he and his son were already working the Booster Club's concession stand at the football game.

“And then I got a call from coach and she said, ‘Hey, you need to get down here right now, your daughter was hit by a truck.' And so, I just dropped what I was doing and started running," he recalled.

He remembered coming upon the scene minutes later.

“She was crying, she was in pain, and I couldn’t get to her," Nader said.

The girls' coach said Veralynn's friend is out of the hospital and will start physical therapy, soon.

Veralynn, a 15-year-old who is a starter on the varsity volleyball team, is now still struggling to get on her feet.

Nader says she has a fractured eye, road rash on her face and back, and titanium in both her legs, which were shattered.

“It’s the worst feeling you ever, can ever have, being completely powerless to help your child. It drove me nuts. It still drives me nuts; I still can’t help her now, she’s still in a lot of pain, and I can’t… ease that in any way, unfortunately. The only thing that can help is time and God," Nader said.

He's trying to lift her spirits, including a plea to one of her favorite artists, Billie Eilish, for a shout-out.

Police said that based on witness accounts, the driver did not seem to be speeding or impaired and cooperated with the investigation. They said he isn't facing any charges.

But Nader wants changes: Lights and crosswalks on the road.

“I just think it’s important to spotlight what happened so it doesn’t happen to any other student, ever again," he said.

Police told NBC 5 news that the area is dark and could use sidewalks or crosswalks, but that would be in the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Nader is grateful for the community's support with gifts and donations to their GoFundMe, which is raising money for medical bills and other things as his wife takes unpaid leave to be by their daughter's side.

Now, he hopes they can support in another way, too, by putting pressure on TxDOT to improve safety for everyone.

"I am someone that’s going to be heavily involved in, making sure that this doesn’t ever happen again to any other child," he said.

Nader said Veralynn has a long recovery ahead.

“She woke up the third or fourth day saying, ‘This is a dream, right? This is a dream,’” he said.

Nader said the rising star won't be able to play volleyball for a while-- she's also on the MadFrog Volleyball team, a traveling club, and was set to play in Philadelphia in March.

“She’s going to miss out on all that, unfortunately. But she’s a fighter, and she’s fighting every day," he said.

He said his daughter is determined to make a powerful comeback.

“She wants it. And if she wants it, she’ll achieve it," he said.