Iowa basketball recruit Ava Jones set to head home after accident

Nearly four months removed from a tragic incident that left Iowa women’s basketball recruit Ava Jones and her family hospitalized, Jones and her mother Amy are set to head back to their home in Kansas in the coming weeks, according to Grace Hayba of WDRB News in Louisville.

In town for the Run 4 Roses AAU tournament, the 2023 recruit and her family were hospitalized on July 5 after an impaired driver drove onto the sidewalk in downtown Louisville, leaving Ava and both of her parents in critical condition at the UofL Hospital. Her father Trey was also critically injured and passed away several days following the accident.

On Wednesday, Ava posted three images on Instagram, including one with her mom and dad.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ava Jones (@avajones_35)

Both Ava and Amy spent a week on ventilators in a medically induced coma, but the news has gotten better in recent weeks.

“The goal is the 17th (of August),” Ava’s brother Hunter told the Hawkeye Report via text message. “Going to get them into an outpatient rehab facility in Wichita.”

Wichita is just an hour drive from Nickerson, where the Jones family resides. It will allow other friends and family to visit Ava and Amy, who have been undergoing rehab at the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville since the accident.

The family was hit by driver Michael Hurley, 33, who was high on hydrocodone. Investigators concluded that Hurley was trying to make a turn from East Market Street to North 2nd Street “but failed to negotiate the turn.” That’s when he left the road and drove on the sidewalk, “where he struck a family of four standing on the sidewalk.”

Hurley currently faces charges of murder, first-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, operating a motor vehicle under the influence and license to be in possession. He’ll be in court in front of a grand jury next week.

On July 21, Hunter posted a video on Facebook of Ava on one of her first days of rehab shooting hoops on a mini basketball hoop, with the caption “Ava already back to what she does best.”

Ava Jones brother, Hunter Jones, posted this on his Facebook.

Ava already shooting hoops in rehab. Probably the best thing you’ll see all week. pic.twitter.com/OtF53EErid

— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) July 21, 2022

“They are in good spirits when I talk to them and at this point are ready to be in the comfort of their house,” Hunter said. “It’s not the same at home knowing that someone will not be coming back, but it’s still better than being stuck in a hospital.”

A GoFundMe page set up for the family has surpassed $145,000. The money will be used to help pay medical expenses and assist the family as they continue a long recovery process.

Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.