Florida hospital honors trauma survivors with garden dedication
Survivors of horrific events who received life-saving trauma and emergency care were honored May 21 evening in Sanford. The patients shared their stories and reunited with their caregivers.
By Gail Paschall-Brown
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SANFORD, Florida (WESH) — Survivors of horrific events who received life-saving trauma and emergency care were honored Wednesday evening in Sanford.
The patients shared their stories and reunited with their caregivers.
“I never cry. I never cry, ” Layla Bennett said. “I got shot in the head, and it’s a little blurry still.”
Last April, Bennett was shot in the head during a drive-by shooting on Scott Drive in Sanford. Surveillance video showed a group of people ducking and running as a red car drove by, firing shots.
“I was shot, and I was bleeding, but I talked, but I was still trying to talk. They were like, ‘What’s going on? This is not normal,” Bennett said.
Bennett was among nearly a dozen survivors of critical injuries who shared their stories at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford.
“A lot of people don’t get another chance like that,” one survivor said.
The trauma team, including nurses, physicians, and therapists, honored the survivors.
“I’m really good. Right now, it’s just therapy. I’m graduating tomorrow. Congratulations. Thank you, because this injury, it kept me back from those things,” Bennett said.
Nineteen-year-old Bennett is graduating from Lake Mary High School.
Kasey DuFour, Bennett’s physical therapist assistant, said, “Layla never gave up, even when she got really frustrated and she wanted to.”
Jared Roth, Bennett’s physical therapist, said, “Her parents and her grandmother [were] always there advocating for her and always by her side 100 percent.”
Law enforcement and EMS teams were also invited to the event. They expressed excitement about the patients’ recovery, noting that seeing the survivors was also beneficial for those who cared for them.
“We need this too, the closure, just seeing how well they’re doing now,” said Sarah Scarcella, an occupational therapy assistant.
Skateboarder Grayson Zrelak’s head was run over by the driver of an SUV.
“You are changing people’s lives in ways that you will never understand. I just want to thank you guys so much,” Zrelak said to applause.
A garden at the hospital was dedicated to the survivors, where they added butterflies symbolizing their transformation from trauma to beauty and celebrating life.
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