A story of hope for a Tulsa teenager involved in a horrific crash.
Izzy Kitterman lost her brother and sister, and two family friends last July when their SUV hit a semi-trailer near Purcell.
Izzy suffered a broken neck and spine, and doctors feared she would never breathe on her own again.
Almost a year later, she has far surpassed those expectations.
And now this determined little girl - wants all of us to know - she will walk again.
In the comfort of home, with family by her side, Kitterman recalls her last three days of intense physical therapy.
Every week, her father and sister - Ashlyn - drive her to a rehab center in Dallas called "React", which specializes in neurological recovery.
And, they are encouraged by Izzy's progress so far.
"I think she's determined because you can see it in her face," Ashlyn said. "She wants to walk again, she wants to play soccer again."
Just last week, Izzy stood up unassisted for 17 seconds and signaled the major accomplishment by ringing the bell.
But, she refuses to stop there.
"Next is being able to lock out my knees and hold my hips without holding on to the bar," Izzy said.
Her biggest handicap right now is that the therapy costs nearly $70,000 a year.
And none of it is covered by insurance.
So they've turned to a family pastime for help.
Ashlyn plays for first-year soccer team Fortuna Tulsa, which will be raising money for Izzy at their game Saturday.
Perhaps, Izzy will play again in the not so distant future.
"I feel like we're pretty close," Ashlyn said. "I kind of think it's going to be like a switch that flips and she'll just get up and walk magically."
It's been a long road, that would be tough to travel without the community's support.
And help keep Izzy's dream alive.
