Teen hit by car in north Houston wants suspect found

A girl who was left for dead by a hit-and run driver is finally out of the hospital.

Back in October, she was barely able to speak, but Saturday she spent hours chatting with family and friends at a fundraiser for her recovery.

Thirteen-year-old London Banks couldn't wait to dig into a “Big Poppa” baked potato at SouthernQ BBQ on W. Richey Road in North Houston.

For days, the sale of their signature potato stacked with sausage, brisket and a rib garnished a portion of its proceeds for her medical bills.

London was struck by a car in early October and was released from the hospital Friday, but she still suffers from brain and spinal cord damage.

She says she doesn’t remember what happened the day that she was walking home from the convenience store with her brother when the car slammed into her.

But she says her natural energy has helped push her through the uphill climb of a months-long recovery that began in the ICU.

"I’m not the most willing person to give up,” she says.

Police released a photo of the black vehicle of the suspected driver who is still on the run, and Banks hopes they are caught so that she can get her questions answered.

"Why didn’t you stop? Why were you going that fast? Why didn’t you at least stop but instead you turned around and kept going?” she asks.

"I don’t understand that.”

The teen has gotten an outpouring of support from across the country and hopes to be back in school by the Fall of 2020.

Meanwhile, she is getting ready for Christmas and says her favorite part of the holidays is using her special talent of wrapping gifts.

She shows off the donation box she wrapped for the fundraiser, but says it isn’t her best work.

She’s struggling to get back to normal while trying to wrap her mind around lifetime goals that now seem out of reach.

"It kind of hit me like a train that there are things I won’t be able to do,” she says.

"Although I am pushing myself, it’s going to be extremely hard- almost impossible to become a doctor. I struggle to remember what I did a couple seconds ago.”

But London’s mom is holding out hope for a full recovery.