FORT WALTON BEACH — Almost every day, 10-year-old Natalie Santos walked to the QV station at Beal Parkway and Clifford Street near her home.
She usually bought her favorite snack — beef jerky — from the convenience store employees who knew her by name.
About 5 p.m. Wednesday, the fifth-grader at Wright Elementary School cuddled with her mom, Jessica Albritton, borrowed $5 and headed to the store.
She didn’t make it home.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Natalie darted out from between westbound cars backed up on Clifford into the path of an eastbound 2002 Ford Explorer driven by 23-year-old Breana Ahjoli Davis of Fort Walton Beach.
She died of her injuries early Thursday. The FHP is still investigating.
The family can see the store from their driveway, Albritton said. She noticed the flashing police lights Wednesday evening but didn’t think anything of it; wrecks are common in that area, she said.
It wasn’t until her other daughter came home from work that she realized Natalie still hadn’t made it back. They ran out and realized that Natalie had been hit.
She was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
Natalie fought for her life for eight hours. Albritton was holding her in her arms when she died.
“She waited for us to say goodbye and she let go,” Albritton said.
The family is waiting for Natalie’s stepfather, Tech. Sgt. Patrick Albritton, to return from Germany to finalize funeral arrangements. Patrick Albritton is stationed at Hurlburt Field and was being deployed to Afghanistan.
Jessica Albritton said her “cowgirl” loved bicycling, horseback riding and skating,
Besides her family, she leaves behind a number of friends.
“Oh God, she was just so beautiful,” Albritton said. “She was so special. She had a very big heart.
“She loved everybody. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body.”
In three weeks she would have celebrated her 11th birthday with a roller skating party.
“I’m going to miss her forever,” Albritton said.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Delgado at 850-315-4445 or ldelgado@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenDnwfdn.