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Parents 'helpless' as daughter recovers from serious wreck

Bryan and Veronica Kirby are relying on the strength of prayer as their 16-year-old daughter recovers from a serious accident.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — It wasn’t until Bryan and Veronica Kirby arrived at WakeMed Monday morning that they realized the seriousness of their daughter’s injuries.

“When it's your own child, you're helpless, there's nothing you can do but stand there and pray,” Bryan Kirby said.

Their daughter, Skyla, was seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash on Capital Boulevard in Wake Forest.

The 1997 Saab carrying Skyla and three other students from Heritage High School was making a left turn into a shopping center when it was hit by a Honda driven by a Wake Forest High School student.

The group was on their way to school from Bible study at their church.

The Saab's driver, Faith Rock, 17, was cited for failure to yield. Her 15-year-old brother, Braden, was killed.

Skyla Kirby and Katie Williams, both 16, were sitting in the back of the Saab. 

Williams was last listed in fair condition at WakeMed. Skyla's injuries include broken ribs, a broken femur and her pelvic bone is broken in several places.

“So many people have been praying for us, telling us that they have been praying for us,” Veronica Kirby said. “I’m just taking strength from that right now.”

The accident revived an unfortunate memory for Veronica Kirby – her brother was killed in a similar accident when he was 16.

For now, Bryan and Veronica Kirby are focused on their daughter’s recovery.

“She's got a long road. Four to six months, physical therapy, learning how to walk again,” Bryan Kirby said. “A long road but she'll fully recover, physically.”

Veronica Kirby’s sister has created a fund for the families affected by the accident.

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