Appleton woman Ka Xiong Thao is fighting for her life after being hit by a piece of metal.
Police say the piece of metal in the road flew through the windshield and hit her while her husband was driving.
NBC26 sat down with Ka's family.
"She's everything to me and my family," said Choua Xiong, Ka's sister.
Ka and her husband Kor were preparing for their son's first birthday party.
"My sister called me, and we just talked like a couple minutes before the accident. And she was like 'When are you going to come?' I said, 'Soon, you know, soon.' I said to her, 'You miss us already?' because her son was with us," said Choua.
Ka's sister said they recorded a video of her nephew and sent it to Ka, but didn't get a response.
"I call her. She didn't pick it up. A few minutes later, phone call from my brother-in-law's phone saying that you know, they had accident, and I didn't know it was going to be this bad," said Choua.
Police called it a tragic accident.
The family rushed to Ka's side and haven't left since.
"Waiting to see, it's just painful feelings. Waiting to see if there's any progress, waiting to see her MRI scan and result of tests, waiting to see the doctors or see, she'll be better. So, you, it's hard," said Choua.
Ka had injuries to her neck, jaw, spine, and brain.
Doctors have told the family she didn't get enough oxygen to her brain which could lead to long-term damage.
"She has always been somebody I look up to because everything she sets her heart tp, she can accomplish it. And so, it's very hard to just see her laying there and not being able to do anything. Not even being able to open her eyes and see me or to even have a normal conversation with me. It's been hard," said Ia Xiong, Ka's niece.
Loved ones tell us Ka is known for her big heart. They said she is the matriarch of their family and lives for her son.
Now, they can only pray she wakes up.
"She may be a strong fighter, and she may recover. We're hoping that or she may, you know, it could change her life," said Ia.
"Tears can't stop, you know. Crying because a person that has done so much, always there to help and, you know, motivated, supported the family, laying down like this it hurts everyone," said Choua.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for expenses.
If you would like to donate, follow this link to their GoFundMe page.
