Eden Moody, who is twelve years old, is calmly sitting outside her house in the Florida sun, peeling mangoes. Her father now considers this seemingly insignificant activity to be a miracle.
“Seeing my daughter up and active again has been the most amazing feeling I’ve ever experienced,” said her father, Paul Moody. “Compared to how she’s been this past month, it’s been the most amazing feeling I’ve ever experienced.”
Eden was confined to a hospital bed in St. Petersburg just a few weeks ago after she was involved in an accident on May 30 involving her electric scooter and a car. The collision took place along Easy Street in Port Charlotte, which is a neighbourhood that is now studded with signs that read “Slow Down, Kids at Play.”
According to Paul Moody, “She has come a long way in such a short amount of time.”
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Arlin Salazar, the driver of the van, did not have a valid commercial driver’s licence and has subsequently been taken into custody. In order to conduct additional investigation, the case has been forwarded to the federal immigration authorities.
Injuries sustained by Eden were severe. Over the course of several days, she was unable to move without support.
The statement made by Moody was that “we were not quite sure how everything was going to function with her.” “On the other hand, the majority of her motor skills were pretty much on point, or she did not lose any strength as a result of it.”
Her father claims that the helmet she wore on that particular day was a significant contributor to her survival.
He said this while clutching the damaged helmet that had taken the brunt of the collision. “I guarantee that it would have killed her,” he insisted.
With her return to her house, Eden’s recuperation continues. Her story has sparked a discussion among the community about the dangers of speeding and the safety of children. There have been signs erected by neighbours, and the Moodys are advising motorists and young motorcyclists to remain vigilant all the time.
Moody stated, “I want to give her her own life,” and he meant it. “However, at the same time, is the manner in which people drive, which is to speed around as if they don’t care.”
At the moment, Eden’s days are more leisurely. It is now the calm joy of peeling fruit in the shade that has taken the place of the hum of traffic, and there is the hope that her recuperation may act as a wake-up call.
According to Moody, “I’m just hoping that it’s an eye-opener for absolutely everyone.”
