Jamaican model and Miss Universe 2017 second runner-up Davina Bennett is counting her blessings after being struck by a vehicle in New York City on Saturday night, just hours after walking in a show during her first New York Fashion Week.

Bennett, who has been chronicling her fashion week journey on social media, had just wrapped walking for stylist and creative director Kahlana Barfield Brown’s collaboration with Target when the accident occurred. Choosing to forgo an after-party, she decided to head home for rest after a packed week of shows.

“As I walked into my neighbourhood, off the train and just minutes from home, I stopped at a pedestrian crossing… when the signal came, I stepped off the curb, and that’s when I was hit,” Bennett said in a statement shared with her followers. “The next thing I knew, I was waking up in an ambulance, with paramedics telling me what had happened.”

Though shaken and in pain, Bennett was relieved to learn from doctors that she had not suffered any broken bones or fractures. “Considering what I’ve heard, it’s extraordinary that you don’t have any broken bones or fractures, just bruises and pain,” a doctor reportedly told her. To which Bennett responded: “It’s God.”

The 29-year-old said her family rushed to her side at the hospital as she processed the shock. Despite the physical toll, she expressed gratitude for life, emphasising that the incident will not derail her dreams. “This might be the end of my first fashion week. I’m currently in severe pain, but I’m grateful to be alive. They say as long as you have life, there’s hope,” she said.

The accident came on the heels of a major milestone for Bennett, who earlier this week made her runway debut in Haitian designer Waina Chancy’s Atelier Ndigo collection at Harlem Fashion Row’s 18th Annual Runway Show and Style Awards, held at Cipriani Wall Street.

Bennett, who has long been celebrated for using her platform to champion natural hair and diversity in fashion, assured supporters that while the experience was a setback, her journey continues. “I’m grateful to God I’m still here to keep chasing my dreams,” she added.