A mother holds on to hope that someday she will get her only daughter back. Bixiang Huang says, "I sent my daughter lively to this country and now this is what I get."
Last Fall, Yali Huang left China for a better education. She made good grades at Emporia State, enjoyed her classes and found lots of friends. But on November 1, 2012 a walk across the street almost ended her life. She was struck by a car. Translator for the family Christina Su says, "Someone called them back home in China and mom received the phone call. Once she heard the news she passed out."
Yali's mom and dad waited in China for a visa to be by their daughter's side. It took a month.
Meanwhile, Yali went into cardiac arrest three times and fell into a coma that lasted ten weeks. Su says, "The hospital, Wesley Medical, not only saved her daughter's life, it kind of created a miracle too. Because the doctor did not expect she would ever respond, she would ever wake up."
But she did wake up and now responds to her family the best she can. A severe brain injury makes it difficult.
After three months of care, the hospital is ready to discharge Yali but she needs extensive rehabilitation. Yali's dad Reijie Huang says, "That's all they can do. They do their best. The hospital is very nice. It costs over a million dollars here now." A cost not covered by Yali's insurance and the family is out of options. Reijie says, "We cannot find a good company or some facility to transfer to. We tried a lot, but rejected."
The family appreciates the support they have received, but they still need the community's help to get back the little girl they once knew. Su says, "I don't even think I can find words to describe the stress, the pain, the feeling that they're going through. Whoever has been parents can't imagine if this was one of your children. Especially on top of it, this is a foreign country with a foreign language which they don't know anything."
Charges are pending but are expected soon against the driver who hit Yali.
Chinese students at Emporia State plan to collect donations for the family at the Chinese Spring Festival Gala on Saturday, February 16th. It starts at 7:30 in Albert Taylor Hall. Students plan to show a video of Yali.
The family has setup a fund at the Bank of America in Wichita. Checks can be made out to Bixiang Huang and mailed to 120 N. Chelmsford Court, Wichita, KS 67230.
