SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Greenfield educator Kristi Blankenship experienced the unthinkable last Friday when she was carjacked at knifepoint.

“I never thought I would be in this situation,” said Blankenship. “It says things can change in a second and just put your life on a different path.”

The incident happened around 5:40 p.m. in her garage.

“I saw that it was a man with a knife in his hand. And he came all the way into the garage, like almost to the door, into the house where I was standing,” says Blankenship. “He just said, ‘You better give me those keys.’ And he was pointing the knife at me and then started demanding money. Then he ended up taking off with the car.”

According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, they tried to make a traffic stop once they spotted the vehicle the next day.

The suspect, who is now identified as Daryll Carter – tried to escape and drove the car off the road – leaving Blankenship without a car to commute to and from her job in Greenfield.

“He had driven it off a 30-foot embankment, so it was totaled,” Blankenship said. “I drive about 45 minutes, so I live in Springfield but I commute here.”

After hearing what had happened to her, community members jumped into action, creating a GoFundMe to help get Blankenship back on the road.

“In just a couple of days it went up to just over $4,000,” said Blankenship.

Blankenship’s co-workers in the Greenfield School District are among those who were eager to help her through this rough patch.

“I have no doubt that, you know, we’ll be able to help everyone pitch in and get her into a vehicle that she desperately needs,” said Trena Greene, one of Blankenship’s fellow teachers at Greenfield.

“She’s just a great person. She really is. And it’s an honor to know her and to work with her. And, you know, just not just my co-worker, but she’s truly a good friend,” Greene said.