The headline in The Brewton Standard read, “Boy hit by car.”

A year later — after his recovery from a broken leg — stories in the newspaper have touted that same boy’s prowess as a cross country runner.

Andrew Pollitte, a 12-year-old Brewton Middle School student at the time, was taken by ambulance to D.W. McMillan Hospital Nov. 17, 2009, after being struck by a car on Sowell Road.

“Well, I was walking home and I was crossing the street,” Pollitte said. “I was looking to my left most of the time. I didn’t realize I was on the other side of the street and when I looked to the right, the car was about two feet away from me. I remember saying ‘oh gosh’ under my breath before I got hit and then I got knocked out.”

Pollitte said he remembers waking up in mid-air and seeing the road moving.

“Then I was laying on my right side on the road.” Pollitte said. “When I looked to the ground I saw blood dripping from my face. One of my friends saw the whole thing happen and luckily her mom is a nurse. So she came to me and started helping me. Then the ambulance arrived and took me to the hospital and I spent the night there.”

The accident broke Pollitte’s growth plate in his right leg and his left leg was badly bruised.

Less than a year after the accident, Pollitte is running, as a seventh grader on the T.R. Miller cross country team.

“I feel pretty good to be in cross-country,” Pollitte said.

In his last race Saturday at the Tiger Classic in Auburn University, Pollitte ran a personal best time of 19:12 with an average mile time of 6:10.

“Well, my PR (personal record) is currently 19:12,” Pollitte said. “My goal is to get under 19:00 before the season is over.”

Pollitte said he got involved in cross country by his P.E. coach at BMS, Coach Brundidge.

“He kept saying I would be good at it and my mom and dad was saying the same thing,” Pollitte said. “I also thought it would be a good way to get the muscle in my leg back and I thought I would like it.”

Pollitte said the season so far has gone great for him and the team and they are next racing at sectionals and then the state meet.

“My favorite part is traveling to different places,” Pollitte said. “I really don’t know what my least part of it is.”

While only a seventh grader, Pollitte is racing against people five years older than he is.

“It feels good to be competing against people older than me because it gives me a challenge,” Pollitte said.

Pollitte’s mom Jennifer said she feels so blessed that Andrew is walking and growing like normal after his accident.

“To me, his accomplishments in cross country and track are incredible,” she said. “I am thankful for Coach (Rob Atkinson), Scott Huff, Coach Ash, the Nelsons and Andrew’s teammates for all their help and encouragement. We have a great group of parents that encourage and support each other’s children. Our athletes have a work ethic that is really something to be proud of. I’m looking forward to watching them compete at the sectionals on Nov. 4.”