Teen speaks out after surviving deadly crash that killed San Carlos girl

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A Spring Valley teenager is speaking publicly for the first time after surviving the crash that killed a 14-year-old girl from San Carlos. As 18-year-old Mahdi Gholami continues on a long road to recovery at Sharp Memorial Hospital, he hopes his experience pushes drivers to be careful on the road.  “Last thing I remember from the impact is just a tire screeching and then my buddy calling out my name like screaming my name," said Gholami. Much of that day is a blur, but the moments he never imagined living through remain burned into his memory.  “We hike Cowles Mountain on Sundays, same time, same everything, but this time something got into us, and we decided to go a different route down," said Gholami. It was late morning last Sunday; he and his friend stopped for a photo at the summit before returning to the parking lot, but they didn’t make it to the car.  “I looked up at him, I was like, ' Hey, am I going to be ok and I saw him running towards me. He took his shirt off, and he did a tourniquet," said Gholami while recounting some of his friend's actions that he remembers. They were running along Navajo Road toward Golfcrest Drive in San Carlos when a driver veered onto the sidewalk and struck Gholami. San Diego Police said the car then hit a tree in a road divider, killing 14-year-old Angelina Cielo Coronel, a freshman at Patrick Henry High School. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community. “I really do feel for the family, I can’t imagine what they’re going through, having a ninth grader myself, I can’t imagine," said Kate Vigderson, whose daughter had two classes with Coronel. SDPD is working to share more information on the investigation, but the girl’s family has confirmed her mother was behind the wheel.  It's unclear why the 35-year-old woman crashed or if she was arrested, but two other children inside the car were uninjured.  “I don’t have feeling in my last two fingers," said Gholami. He broke his arm and suffered nerve damage that may require additional surgery within the next year, as well as a broken leg and concussion. His sister, Zahra Gholami, recalls rushing to the hospital in shock. “I want to see my brother, but they said no, he’s not in good condition.” Now, Gholami's healing is fueled by family support, but their thoughts also remain with the other grieving family.  “It's a miracle he’s alive. We’re very sorry for the family that lost their daughter," said Zahra Gholami. Her brother's plans to graduate from Monte Vista High School, start EMT school, and run a half-marathon next month are now on hold. However, the life-changing experience has given Gholami a new perspective, and he hopes it changes how other drivers think about road safety. “I used to, I tended to go faster than I should sometimes, but this definitely like it really opened my eyes. I thank God every day for not dying," Gholami. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family of the 14-year-old with funeral costs.