'Thank God he's not dead, but he could have been dead' | 911

What began as a walk home for Christopher Paz ended with him at a hospital, fighting for his life.

The 25 year old is at Harborview Medical Center with a collapsed lung and a leg shattered from hip to heel, as well as an extensive list of injuries that could take a year's recovery.

"He could have been dead," said his mother, Sylvia Paz. "Thank God he's not dead, but he could have been dead."

Paz was walking with a friend in Tacoma early Sunday morning when he was seriously injured in a hit-and-run crash on Spanaway Road. According to his friend and witness, the impact of the crash near Washington High School swept Paz onto the hood of the car and carried him some 20 feet, but the car did not stop.

"So at first the brake lights came on for a second, then it sped up. So while Paz was on the hood, he tumbled over the car," said Phillip Jackson, a friend of the victim.

For the victim's mother, the last three days have been a blur.

"I can't even describe...I feel like I'm not even here," said Sylvia Paz. "I'm heartbroken about what happened to my son, but I'm so angry at the person that did this to him."

The worried mother is desperate for answers to the case.

"You hit him, then you stopped and looked back, and walked away? Why did you leave him laying there? Why didn't you stop and help?" she said.

Christopher Paz has a son of his own, as well as a fiance. He has a long recovery ahead of him, which will include spending a year in a wheelchair and undergoing physical therapy to eventually get back on his feet.

"I was crying," said Sylvia Paz. "He was the strong one, telling me, 'Mom, don't cry. It's going to be OK."'

Pierce County detectives believe the car that hit Christopher Paz is likely a red Acura Integra or a red Honda with damage to the front. Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the Pierce County Sheriff's Department immediately.