Kimmy sustained several injuries when that car hit her, including head injuries, a broken shoulder and pelvis. Still, as she turns 16, her family has reason to believe their wishes are coming true.

Kimberly Armstrong's dad had expected a much different 16th birthday for his daughter.

"She had plans of having her friends over tonight and watching scary movies,” said her father, Bill Armstrong.

Instead, it seems, over the last 10 days, they've been living in a scary movie since she left for school the morning of Sept. 22.

"She was going out the door early as she always does. She just said goodbye,” he said. “Those are the last words we had: goodbye."

A short while later, police officers arrived at their door.

"The officer told me my child had been struck by a car crossing Kearney, and that we needed to get to the hospital,” said Armstrong.

Kimmie's been at the hospital ever since; so has her family – her parents and 8-year-old sister, Holly.

Updates come pretty much daily on a Web site. One just Thursday was among the best news yet. He dad says her condition moved from critical to stable.

"We got smiles, we got thumbs up, we got movement of the feet. She was awake, able to move her eyes. She'd look from mom to dad.”

The celebration of her birthday on Friday night will be in the waiting room near the intensive care unit. The decorations adorn Kimmy’s Web site rather than her home.

"We told her we got her birthday presents for today. I got two thumps up for that.”

While it's not the party they expected, they still have high hopes for Kimmie's Sweet Sixteen.

"I have my daughter back. She's there,” said Armstrong.

Her dad was quick to note they have a long road ahead. Kimmy remains on the ventilator, and they're not rushing her to take her off it.

Speech and physical therapists have met with her; they're just waiting for her to get better to see exactly where they need to go from here.

"If you're reaching for the stars, you want to pick her up and take her home. But we'll settle for the moon and let her get better."

That's the family's main focus right now, besides making sure no other family has to endure what they are experiencing.

"I want to make it safe for the next one. If anything good comes of it, that would be best, that we stop losing kids to accidents like this."