WACO, Texas — Six months ago life for Payton Washington was much different. Like most high school seniors she was preparing for the next chapter in life.
“I was texting my mom at the time about Baylor trying to get everything done and get all my applications in," Washington said.
Then the unthinkable happened. One day after cheer practice, Washington and her friends carpooled to a local H-E-B in Elgin.
“It was any other Monday, a practice week, just like every week getting ready to compete for one of the biggest competitions in cheerleading," Washington said. “My friend was trying to get into her car or what she thought was her car. She got in the wrong car, came back in our car and just explained saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' to this other man's car again.”
That man was later identified by police as 25-year-old Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr. Police say Rodriguez got out of his car and approached the car Washington and her friend was in.
"It was quick. It was about five seconds. I heard the gunshots," Washington said.
An innocent misunderstanding leading to gunfire.
"I was shot three times," Washington said. "Two in my left and my right leg and my butt area and then one through my back which shattered my spleen. I had two shots in my diaphragm and two in my stomach and then they had to remove a lobe from my pancreas."
Washington's recovery is nothing short of a miracle.
"I am on antibiotics for about a year, taking one every morning and every night," she said. "It’s a little bit of a change medically speaking. But I know that I can do it."
That same positive spirit is why Washington was able to graduate high school and pursue her collegiate career.
"There was a lot of self-doubt not knowing where I was going to be in the next three month, " Washington said. "One week before being in the best shape of my life to then having to completely restart.”
But at Baylor, she's been able to focus on her faith and find a new fellowship among her acrobatics and tumbling team.
"It made sense to come here to Baylor," she said. "It is helping me make sure to stay connected with God."
Washington says her teammates were at the hospital with her on the first day.
"They were at the hospital the first day and we cried together," she said. "I just... I could genuinely see the support that they had for me and i knew that this was going to be a team that would be a family for the rest of my life.”
A resilient and determined spirit… now finding peace … at her home away from home.
Washington hopes to make the acrobatics team’s starting line up for the upcoming season. She is majoring in business hoping to go into medical sales when she graduates.
