Volleyball player who lost legs in horrific hit-and-run takes first steps with prosthetics

ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – An 18-year-old who lost both her legs after she was hit by a car in February took her first steps with prosthetic legs this week.

Janae Edmondson, a volleyball player from Tennessee, was visiting St. Louis for a tournament on Feb. 18 when she was hit by a car while walking on a sidewalk. She was 17 at the time of the crash.

Her father said one of his daughter’s legs had been immediately severed and the other was only partially attached. He said he recalled his first aid training from the military and started gathering belts from eyewitnesses to use as tourniquets.

Edmondson underwent multiple surgeries and lost both her legs.

On Tuesday, her mother posted an update on their GoFundMe page, writing that Edmondson would be getting her first set of prosthetics on Wednesday.

“I am so overwhelmed and thankful to God that she is still here and is able to do this,” Marilyn Edmondson wrote. “I haven’t seen my child stand in five months and eight days.”

Janae Edmondson’s dad later sent KMOV a video of his daughter learning to walk in them.

In another GoFundMe update, her mother said Janae Edmondson “beat all of our expectations” and “was so driven to walk, she couldn’t be stopped.”

The driver who hit Janae Edmondson was identified as 21-year-old Daniel Riley. He faces multiple charges related to the crash and has pleaded not guilty.

Officials said Riley was out on bond at the time of the crash on a robbery charge, and he was not supposed to be driving because he did not have a valid license.

Officials also said Riley was under house arrest and had violated the conditions of his bond more than 100 times.

The Edmondson family filed a lawsuit against the City of St. Louis following the crash.

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