Trooper J.D. Warren of the state Highway Patrol said Peggy Dickens, 75, was crossing the highway to visit a friend when she was struck. He said a witness recounted the car was traveling below the posted the speed limit of 45 and its driver did not see the woman, who was wearing dark clothing while crossing an unlit highway. There was no direct impact but what Warren described as a glancing blow. The driver stopped, Warren said.

Dickens remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Vidant in Greenville. She was cited for being in the roadway illegally.

The driver of the car that struck Dickens will not be charged, Warren said.

The family said in a statement it gives “a huge thank you” to the vehicle that was behind the car that struck Dickens.

Dickens, center, with her daughters Wanda "Kay" Bailey, left, and Shawn Haislip.

“The driver of that vehicle stopped his car, straddled Highway 48 and made sure that traffic did not continue to pass and that she was not struck anymore. This Samaritan stayed with Dickens throughout the ordeal until paramedics arrived on the scene.”

She was then taken by ambulance to Halifax Regional Medical Center; there she was triaged and listed in a stable condition. HRMC transported Dickens to Vidant Hospital of Greenville.

The family said Dickens was awake and aware of the situation and her surroundings when she arrived in Greenville. “The doctors did a multitude and tests and ruled out any damage to the brain. She suffers from extensive facial fractures and a broken ankle. On Christmas day she was stable and able to wish her family a merry Christmas.”

However, she was taken in to surgery that night at 7:30 for some repair work on her nose so that she would be able to breathe correctly and took a turn for the worse. As of this report she has been taken off a ventilator and her condition remains listed as serious.

“The family feels confident that she will pull through this, because with God all things are possible,” the statement said. “They also want to give thanks to everyone that has taken their time to pray for her continued healing. They want to remind everyone to make sure that you tell your loved ones just how much they mean to you, and do not take for granted the time that you are giving with them.”

The statement continued, “While this Christmas has proven to be a tragic one for this family they are maintaining a positive outlook, because God has not taken Peggy home, which means her work here on earth is not done. Sometimes one must face a tragedy to see God’s miracles at work.”