Twitch streamer hit by car live on camera - 'It felt like slow motion'

An American Twitch streamer who caught the moment he was hit by a car live on camera has told the BBC he was left in shock looking back at the footage.

Isaiah Thomas, known online as hmblzayy, had challenged himself to walk more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km), streamed online, from Philadelphia to California to raise money to build a trade school for children who cannot go to college.

Thomas said he was walking Route 40 in Richmond, Indiana on Tuesday when a car struck the escort vehicle behind him, which in turn hit him.

"It was so fast, but it felt like it was in slow motion; it was like I was just gliding in the air – it was crazy," he said.

"I had so many thoughts running through my mind," he told the BBC. "I'm like, I hope this isn't over. I hope that my injuries aren't too bad."

"I was just in a bad car accident six months ago, so for me to be able to do this walk, I already had to go through therapy and learn how to walk again."

The content creator, who has raised over $50,000 (around £36,000) for his cause so far, said he normally walks facing oncoming traffic with reflectors and a cart in front of him.

However, on this occasion, a fan of the stream offered to drive behind him with hazard lights on. So, after calling the police to get their agreement, Thomas said he set off on the 34th day of the challenge.

Part of the way along the route Thomas was struck from behind, on his right, by a car.

Following the crash, Thomas said it was when he was able to stand up he saw both cars had been "totalled," although neither driver was seriously harmed.

When the emergency services arrived on the scene, the 27-year-old said he was able to show police a clip of the moment he was hit, which one of his moderators had taken from his stream.

"When I watched the video, that's when I was surprised, like, wow, this car really hit me that hard," he said. "That's when I realised the impact."

Thomas was taken to hospital, where he said he was lucky to only suffer "sprained ankles and minor stuff".

Despite feeling in shock after the incident, Thomas said he still intends to complete his walk, after a short rest.

"For the next three to four days, I'm going to be taking ice baths and really just putting my body through a lot just to get back to where I was," he said.

"I got about three more months left to get there – about 2,000 miles left. So I got a long way to go."