kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and KilleenBenefit Held for Little River-Academy Bus Crash Victim

Hundreds attended a benefit in Temple Saturday to support a teenage girl seriously injured in a tragic school bus crash.

29 other Little River-Academy children were injured in the January 17, accident, but none as badly as 14-year old Haley Johansen.

Back injuries left her with a one percent chance of walking again, but In the face of tragedy, family and friends say she's best known for her positivity and determination.

Her aunt Holly Leiferman says that though she wasn't able to attend, Haley knows she has the community's support.

"Her spirits are good, like every teenager, you know some days are good, some days are bad, but she's doing really good, She's getting along in her wheelchair and making some great progress," said Holly.

Haley's also known as a fighter, and today friends, family and strangers came out to the Oscar Store in Temple to show her she doesn't have to fight alone, each one with a message for her.

"I want her to know that everybody is here for her, and not to be worried, that she's going to be ok, and she's going to get through this," said her friend Abbie Layton, as she arranged baked goods at the bake sale table.

Another friend, Skylar Faber, wanted to tell Haley, "She has people that care about her and people that love her, and she is very strong, and I know she can get through this."

Money raised through admission, the bake sale, auctions and a raffle will help the Johansen family with bills and therapy for Haley.

She has a passion for a horses, and needs a custom saddle so she can do a special horse therapy called hippo therapy.

"What better way to have something that helps you out, your therapy be something that you love so much," said family Friend Tina Wilgeroth, who helped organize the event.

There's no set date yet for when Haley will start that therapy or when she can leave the hospital.

"She just starts every day with a new day and works toward her goal of getting back to normal," said her Aunt Holly.

Holly says right now, it's all about sticking together as a family and as a community.

"I think the main support is that they know that there is family here reaching out to them every day," she said.

According to friends of the family, the man driving that bus was put into an induced coma Saturday, after having surgery Friday.

They say he was scheduled for plastic surgery Saturday and possibly Monday, but that there is some concern he won't wake up from the coma.

There are also plans to organize a benefit for him, but right now his family is just asking for prayers.

Reporter/Photographer Sophia Stamas sstamas@kcentv.com