Iowa commit Ava Jones -- Felt 'like my dad was with me today'

play

The Iowa women's basketball team received a letter of intent from a young woman who was injured and her father died after being hit by a car.

A drunk driver hit Jones and her family on a Louisville sidewalk on July 5 while they were at a tournament. Her father died a few days later and her mother had a brain injury. Creek had a serious injury.

The driver was indicted by a grand jury in August and charged with one count of murder, two counts of first- degree assault, one count of assault in the fourth degree and one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence. He told the police that he had taken Hydrocodone before driving.

Jones originally committed to Arizona State but then changed his mind after the coach retired. Two days before the crash, Jones announced her commitment to Iowa.

Jones and her mother spent a lot of time in Louisville. In October, Jones returned to her old high school. Normally, she would have played volleyball this fall and basketball next week.

She said she was looking forward to the signing because of the difficulties she and her family have faced.

Jones said it felt better to have signed. I would like to play basketball again. I don't know but I hope I will be able to. Even if I can't, I'll still be with the team. I am a huge fan of the Iowa team and the coaching staff.

The support I've gotten from everyone has made me stronger. This was my dad's dream too and I feel like he was with me today. Our goal was to achieve this.

As a result of working with a therapist, Jones is able to walk and talk better. She will have surgeries on her knees and shoulder over the next few months.

Amy Jones is able to walk with the help of a walker.

The Jones family, friends, teammates, coaches, students and teachers were at the high school for the signing. He was a teacher and a track coach.

Amy Jones, who can't drive yet but has been able to return to work remotely as an assistant superintendent in the Nickerson school district, said that the amount of people who came out to support Ava is so special. She is happy and fulfilling a dream. When I get down, she will say "OK, Mom, we can do this" We're going to continue. She is determined and drives.

Jan Jensen said that Jones' scholarship would be honored.

The coach said that she's ours, she's our family. Jensen said that she would be with them.

We'll have her doing everything she can do once she's here. She will be learning the offense when we learn it. She should be included in all of the things.

According to Jensen, she has been amazed at Jones' progress.

Jensen said that he and Ava talk a couple days a week. It was a good thing that her brain began to heal, but also a difficult thing when she realized her father's death. I was aware that there would be a void today. She knew this was something they had been working on when she talked to her.

I wouldn't bet against her after what they've gone through. We're beyond thrilled with this signing, we've had a lot of trouble with it.

The Iowa football team will play at Kansas State in Manhattan on November 17th. Jones is going to be there to observe.

Jones said that he's not that type of person. My dad was not like that. I need to keep going. It might be in my genes.