Community welcomes young survivor home after near-fatal crash

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) – It’s a homecoming four months in the making — and one many feared would never happen.

On January 12, 2024, a young girl named Khloie was severely injured in a weather-related car crash in Whitfield County. The roads were slick with snow and ice, and her vehicle slid off the road, ending in a devastating wreck.

First responders on scene quickly realized how serious the accident was and called in LifeForce.

Khloie was flown from the crash site to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, then transferred by LifeForce once again to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where she would remain in critical care for weeks.

Her injuries were extensive.

Doctors performed emergency surgery in an attempt to stabilize her, and for a while, it seemed like every day hung in the balance.

“They would say she would make it, and then the next day they’re like, she’s not gonna make it,” said her mother, McKenzie Moss. “She had a severe brain injury… and a tree limb went through her neck.”

Despite the odds, Khloie kept fighting.

Now, four months later, she is home — even if only briefly.

She’s spending a week back in her hometown before returning to Atlanta for continued rehabilitation.

For Khloie, it’s a chance to be with friends during the last week of school and enjoy a bit of normalcy before summer break.

To mark her return, the very first responders who helped save her life organized a surprise welcome home convoy.

Whitfield County Fire Stations 1, 2, and 10, Hamilton EMS, and members of the LifeForce crew came together to give Khloie the emotional reunion she never had the chance to experience that day.

Scotty Tate, a lieutenant with the Whitfield County Fire Department, reflected on what the moment meant to them.

“Just being able to keep up with her story, knowing how badly wounded she was and her life expectancy… we all thought she probably wasn’t going to make it,” he said. “But she kept fighting. She overcame every obstacle. She had the will to live. And I guess that’s why this means so much to us — getting her story out there.”

Khloie’s fight is far from over.

She currently uses sign language and assistive technology to communicate.

But her faith and spirit remain strong.

“He said it was not my time yet, then sent me back,” Khloie said, referencing a deeply personal moment she experienced while in surgery. “God is good.”

Her mother, McKenzie, expressed overwhelming gratitude for the responders and medical staff who fought for her daughter’s life.

“Thank you to all the first responders that saved my daughter… I’m so grateful it was you who answered the call.”

The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with Khloie’s long road ahead.

Her care, recovery, and therapy needs will be extensive.

But for now, her return is a moment of joy — a reminder of resilience, hope, and the power of a community that never gave up on a girl they barely knew… but now will never forget.

“She’s a miracle,” her family says.

And today, that miracle came home.

For Khloie’s GOFUNDME, click here.