KENNER - You could say Kariyana Fields met her lifelong hero early; right in the womb, her mom.
"She's strong, she's very strong," Fields said.
However, on Valentine's Day in 2015, Kariyanna's hero would face a huge test in life.
Fields was on her way back with friends from Gulfport, with her friend driving the car.
"On our way back she fell asleep, and we were all sleeping," Karsten said.
Somehow the driver lost control of the car, and it crashed.
"I was airborne, I went 20 feet out of the car," Karsten explained.
Everyone survived, but Fields had to be airlifted to the hospital. When she woke up she learned her spinal cord had been severed from the ejection.
"Seeing her in that bed it was hard," Kariyana said tearfully.
And it was difficult watching her mother undergo intense therapy to regain basic motor skills.
But in a short time, Kariyanna and her brother learned to help out.
"Wake my brother up at 6:15, he gets dressed, mom gets up."
And then they have to help mom get in and out of the wheelchair so she can drive them to school. Despite all these challenges, Kariyana sees her mom the same.
"Strong, beautiful and smart," she said.
And this year she wants to give back to mom the gift of upright mobility with a standing electric wheelchair.
"I just want her to get back on her feet, I just want her to be so happy."
The family explains insurance won't pay for it, so Kariyana has been working on top of going to high school to pay for it.
"50 dollars every check to help," Kariyana said.
In addition, Kariyana has written letters for help, and organized fundraisers for her cause.
"There's so much more that she can do with a standing wheelchair."
One of those things is for Karsten to go back to work as a bank teller.
"Never give up, and keep pushing."
Kariyana estimates she now has $5,000 but the chair runs around $8,500.
She grateful for people's kindness, and simply wants others in her situation not to lose hope.
You can donate at Kariyana's GoFundMe page here.