10-year-old girl out of ICU and home again, continues to recover after June crash

Last month, Gracie Perez, her mother, Cynthia Hammons, and brother were involved in a crash on Highway 242 in Johnston County near Godwin Lake Road. Perez had to be placed in a medically induced coma due to the extent of her injuries. She spent 23 days in Wake Med but walked out and headed home last Friday.

While the road to recovery continues, Hammons said now she can start to see a good ending in her daughter's future.

"There was a while there when I was really scared," Hammons said.

Hammons recalled the accident and what happened. She said they were leaving Vacation Bible School and saw a car was stopped on Highway 242. Hammons tried to go around it, and that is when the accident happened.

Hammons said when the accident happened, Gracie wasn't breathing. Then, out of nowhere, a woman started working on Gracie and tried to stabilize her.

Wednesday evening, she is placing her thoughts on Gracie's future and thinking about how much support the family has received.

"The town has been wonderful, I'm blown away by the people that have reached out and helped, and the people that showed up," Hammons said.