Texas family asking for Christmas cards after teen girl seriously injured in Christmas parade

A young girl seriously injured during a Christmas parade in Shepard, Texas may be spending the holidays in the hospital. Her family tells FOX 26’s Matthew Seedorff they’re asking for some positive vibes and Christmas cards.

SHEPHERD, Texas - A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized after getting seriously injured at a Christmas parade in Shepherd, Texas.

"It was a freak accident," said the teen’s aunt Cindy Lee. "Something you’d see out of a movie or something."

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According to Lee, they had been watching the Shepherd Christmas parade as a family outside their vehicle on December 4th, 2021. Family members don’t want to publicly identify the injured teen.

During the parade, a horse, attached to a carriage, got spooked. Lee says the horse then jolted towards their vehicle, causing the carriage to careen out of control. Lee’s 14-year-old niece ended up pinned between the carriage and their car.

"Both of us looked up at the same time and saw what was happening," said Lee. "I hollered at her to move. I got out of the way in time, but she did not. She was screaming, ‘please help me, please help me,’ I knew it was bad."

(Photo: Cindy Lee - Shared with permission)

"Even though the window was broken out, her hair was hung like that," she continued. "She was just kind of stuck. My daughter helped her get her hair loose and she just kind of collapsed to the ground."

The girl’s family said she had to be air-lifted to a Houston hospital with several broken bones, a collapsed lung, lacerated liver, broken jaw, and other injuries. Complications have since followed and two weeks after the incident, the high school freshman remains hospitalized.

"She’s strong," said Lee. "She’s a very strong girl. She’s hanging in there. She keeps saying [she] wants to be home for Christmas."

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Lee thinks her niece will likely still be hospitalized on Christmas. As a result, she’s asking for people to send letters to the address listed below. Lee plans to give the letters to her niece, to bring her some holiday joy at the hospital.

"We love you," said Lee to her niece. "We’re ready for you to come home. We’re ready for you to get better. We’re rooting for you. Whatever you need from us, we’re here for you."