SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It's been nearly two weeks since Lena Adams nearly lost her life. Shortly after the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day, Adams was with her family off Main Avenue near Greenback Lane in Orangevale where they lit fireworks.
"My brother walked into the street to light some, my cousin, my cousin's boyfriend, and then I was like 'Oh, let me go do it,' Adams said.
When it was Adams' turn to light off fireworks, a car drove towards her at a high rate of speed. The driver of the car yelled expletives at Adams before slamming into her. The entire incident was captured on video.
"I saw people (drivers) come through there who slowed down, that went around our people, went around the other people — they were slowing down and navigating through, but this guy deliberately just plowed through me," she said.
Adams says her heart stopped beating before first responders arrived and performed CPR. She says she's grateful to be alive.
"There was only a dark room that I was running in after I had passed, and then someone dropped a light into the dark room, and that's when I crawled through there and that's when I came back into the Emergency Room," she said.
CHP still hasn't found the driver responsible for hitting Adams, but they say the car believed to be involved is a 2013-2018 Ford C Max. Adams says she hopes that driver is caught and held accountable for their actions, but she also says she forgives them.
Five months ago, Adams had another near death experience. She says she got into a rollover accident while driving on the freeway. At the site of that crash, she recalls seeing a man who she describes as a guardian angel — someone who she says she saw once again just before getting hit by a car on New Year's Day.
"I'm like, 'What the heck is that guy doing here?' she said. "At that moment, it was almost like a calming effect, like 'You're gonna be OK.'
Adams is currently recovering in a rehab and long-term care facility in Carmichael.
"My goal is just to go home to my son and get back to everyday life," she said. "Obviously, it won't be the same, but go back to work (and) take care of my son."
A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid with expenses in Adams' recovery.
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