FOX 2 - She's only 17 years old, but Tyronnica Smith has seen her father struggle more than most.
"That is my father and that is my last living parent," she said. "He's all that I really have. I'm all that he has."
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Teen daughter of single dad needs help after his car crash
She's only 17 years old, but Tyronnica Smith has seen her father struggle more than most.
Tyronnica Smith of Detroit says her father, 62-year-old Tyrone Smith has raised her alone, her mother dying 10 years ago.
"It's my time to take care of you, because you've been taking care of me so long," said Tyronnica.
The teen, who just graduated from high school says on June 1, her father had been driving near Seven Mile and Beech Daly in Redford - when a speeding driver slammed into him.
"His car kind of flew into the CVS parking lot," she said.
Her father has been in the hospital since, with three broken ribs, a sprained arm and a broken hip.
"He's able to get around but he has to walk with a cane and he's really slow-paced," Tyronnica said. "They don't think he will be able to go back to work, because it takes so much."
Tyronnica says this is just another blow, on top of so many others. Her father, lately, has been unable to catch a break.
"He has been through so much it breaks my heart. And that hurts me only being 17 and I cannot help my father," she said.
Tyronnica says her father lost his childhood home he'd been trying to pay off and restore two years ago. And at one point, was sleeping in his car until finding a place to rent. But then he fell victim to a slumlord and losing his belongings.
"He lost his 1988 classic car, he lost his mother's urn with her ashes, he lost paperwork with things like her death certificate and stuff like that," she said. "So it was just a hard time for him."
Tyronnica - creating a GoFundMe page to help with medical bills and her father's rent.
Despite pleas from him - that he will be just fine, of course.
"He is so stubborn but I really love him. I love him from the bottom of my heart," she said.
Originally with plans to go to college in Alabama, the 17-year-old is planning to start classes here and stay a little closer to her dad.
"It's just been devastating in my life," he said. "Just trying to live."
"I don't want to be in Alabama while you're in Detroit struggling and you're not calling me and telling me need help. He just wants to see me succeed. I just want to see him succeed, too."
If you would like to help, tap here for the GoFundMe page.