11-year-girl struck in Saanich crosswalk returns home to her family

CHEK

WATCH: Leila Bui was very nearly killed when an SUV hit her in crosswalk while on her way to school in December. She spent months in hospital in a medically-induced coma and has undergone multiple surgeries. Now, 11-year-old Leila Bui is back home in Saanich but as Kori Sidaway tells us, her homecoming is bittersweet.

Leila Bui loved to make silly videos with her siblings. But now, she has to interact with her family in a very different way.

“She has to depend on us for everything, changing her, feeding her, washing her,” said her mother Kairry Bui.

Five days before Christmas, the 11-year-old was struck by a vehicle on her way to school. She suffered massive brain injuries, faced multiple surgeries. Life had changed in an instant for Leila and the rest of the Bui family.

“We’ve been waiting to take her home for a long time,” said Kairry.

In order to bring Leila home, their house needed extensive renovations including a new exterior ramp, wheelchair accessible bathroom, and a bedroom equipped to fit her new needs,  including a hospital bed.

The crosswalk where Leila was struck has also seen some changes to make it safer, not only for the Bui family but also for other kids on their way to nearby Torquay Elementary.

“There is now some pedestrian controlled buttons for crossing, and so we have double flashing, which is wonderful,” said Torquay Elementary School Principal Cindy Harte.

“The continuous red flashing four-way is still there. There is going to be the removal of an Arbutus tree which kind of blocks the view.”

With still much to do on the road, and at home, for now, the Bui family is just grateful for all the support.

“Because to tell you the whole truth, I felt useless. I couldn’t do anything for her,” said Kairry.

“Without the strength and support of my family, I don’t think I could have held it together like I did.”

But, together, the Bui family is holding strong, and life is slowly growing into a new kind of normal.

The police investigation into the collision is ongoing. If you’d like to help the family with the many accommodations they still have to make for little Leila, you can head over to their GoFundMe page.

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