On October 2, 2019, as she walked home from a convenience store with her younger brother Jadin, 13-year-old London was struck by a fast-moving vehicle and thrown more than 40 feet in the air. The impact broke London’s nose, sent teeth flying, and caused such severe brain and spinal damage that London was incapable of breathing on her own during her first night in intensive care.
“[My children] were not jaywalking [or] crossing the street illegally,” London’s mother, Shand’ra Mosley-Banks, told a local news station. “They crossed the correct way, and for the driver to treat her like worse than trash, I mean, that’s ridiculous. I’m appalled.”
Unfortunately, the driver has yet to be caught, which weighs heavily on the heart of London’s mom, a double mastectomy and bone cancer survivor, who was at the hospital receiving her final dose of chemotherapy the moment this tragic incident occurred. Anyone with information that could help should call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS or the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
London participates in an EEG study so her doctors can better understand her brain activity post-injury.
It took 52 days of intensive physical therapy, and the love of a community, but London was able to be discharged to her home, where she continues to recover today. Her journey is long from over, as this sweet seventh-grader now has a seizure disorder, sleeping difficulties, and overall poor muscle and body control due to the brain injury.
When her mother reached out to us, she was desperate to find a safer way for her daughter to sleep downstairs, as it had become a dangerous and exhausting process to get London upstairs to her bedroom.
Holton’s Heroes purchased London a brand-new queen size bed with a special light-blocking canopy so London can rest better—and more safely—each night. This bed was placed in the family’s living room so that London won't have to walk upstairs until she’s physically and mentally ready. We were also happy to furnish London’s bed with new sheets, a space foam cooling pillow, a weighted blanket, and an Amazon Echo Dot.
Today, with the guidance of her incredible mother, London works on improving her focus, reading retention, and ability to complete instructions at an appropriate level. Her recovery, to date, is nothing short of a miracle, and we are awed by the strength and perseverance London and her mother continue to display.
Before her injury, Shand’ra told us that London had aspirations of becoming a nurse or doctor. After seeing how far she’s come these past few months, we have no doubt that she’ll achieve anything she puts her mind to.
“We can not thank Holton’s Heroes enough for being our heroes. And to all the supporters of Holton’s Heroes, we love you and appreciate every sacrifice you make so that this beautiful organization can help kids like London.”
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