Staff photo by Fritz Busch Pictured at a chili feed fundraiser for her at Grace Community Church Saturday, Marek Armstrong, center, of New Ulm, is pictured with her father Steve Sveom, left, of Sioux Falls, S.D. and her mother Mikel Armstrong, right, of New Ulm. Marek has been out of work since an Oct. 4 hit-and-run crash in downtown Mankato left her with two brain bleeds and a skull fracture.

NEW ULM — She’s got many reasons to be upset, but Marek Armstrong of New Ulm refuses to let her injuries from a hit-and-run crash in downtown Mankato Oct. 4 get her down.

“I’m very, very overwhelmed with all the love and support from people here,” said said at a chili feed fundraiser at Grace Community Church to help her pay for basic living expenses since the crash that left her with two brain bleeds, a fractured skull and a long road to recovery.

“A lot of people here know her, care about her and are coming together to help support her,” said Armstrong’s father Steve Sveom if Sioux Falls, S.D.

Marek’s mother Mikel Armstrong of New Ulm said her daughter was in downtown Mankato late at night on Oct. 4, crossing a street with a friend when somebody driving a truck yelled at her, telling her she was going too slowly.

“The driver in the truck pulled over and asked her for a cigarette. She got up on the truck running board and reached into a passenger window and the driver took off,” said Mikel. “She flew backwards, hitting her head. She was unconscious. Her friend called 911. It was caught on a security camera on the road between the Mankato Civic Center and Mankato Government Center downtown. She was unconscious and her friend called 911. She spent two days in the hospital in Mankato. Now she’s getting treatment at New Ulm Medical Center. She’s doing occupational therapy at the Courage Kenney Rehabilitation Institute in Owatonna. We don’t know how long it will take for her to heal.”

“He ran over my leg,” said Marek. “I was told I easily could have died. As of now, I can’t work again at Enterprise North in New Ulm for a while. I’m just very thankful for support from others. It’s amazing. I treat people like I would want to be treated. I love this little town. I feel very blessed.”

Sveom and his wife set up the chili fundraiser at Grace Community Church in New Ulm to help Marek pay for daily living costs. Nearly 100 people attended the fundraiser Saturday. Another fundraiser was held Sunday morning at Grace Community Church.

“People have been very kind. We got her rent paid with the help of donations,” said Mikel Armstrong.

On Oct. 4, the Mankato Department of Public Safety was dispatched to the crash on Civic Center Plaza and Riverfront Drive. The driver and vehicle believed to have caused the crash fled the scene before authorities arrived.

Mankato Police posted surveillance video of the crash online and identified the hit and run suspect but he has not been charged yet, the Armstrongs said.

Donations can be sent to Marek’s venmo account: venmo@marek-armstrong.