Name: Jessica Wills
Age: 15
Diagnosis: Traumatic Brain Injury and Paralysis

     Jessica was hit by an SUV while she was waiting at a bus stop in April of 2005. The impact of the crash was so hard it threw Jessica 25 feet, knocking her shoes off. She was immediately taken to Shands Jacksonville where her mother was told Jessica had only seconds to live unless doctors performed immediate surgery.
      Doctors went straight to work, beginning brain
surgery while Jessica was still in the emergency room. The entire surgery lasted four and a half hours. Jessica remained in a coma for 2 weeks after the surgery.
      Her doctors said she was paralyzed on her left side and told her mother she would probably never walk again. After months of intensive rehabilitation Jessica defied all the odds, by walking again.

     Her mom says Jessica is a walking, talking, beautiful gift from God. Jessica has some learning disabilities and memory loss, but she is able to do things the doctors never imagined. Her mom says "God has given her to me twice." There are 4 children at Jessica's school with traumatic brain injuries. They call themselves "The Brains."

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