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㽶ƵֱChasing deer and making friends: B.C. girl running around again after scary fall㽶Ƶֱ

3-year-old Sophia back to being a kid again after 20-foot park fall on to concrete
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Mom Selina and daughter Sophia Taylor are happy to be back at home after being cooped up at BC Children㽶Ƶֱs Hospital in Vancouver. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Sophia Taylor is back running around her yard in Crofton and acting just like any other normal three-year-old less than a month after suffering serious injuries during a fall at Ladysmith㽶Ƶֱs Transfer Beach Park.

Sophia is mostly oblivious to what㽶Ƶֱs happened to her during an interview I conducted with her and mom Selina at their Crofton home Thursday. They only returned home last Friday from a three-week stay at BC Children㽶Ƶֱs Hospital in Vancouver where the prognosis for Sophia at first didn㽶Ƶֱt look good.

I asked her about the incident and the hospital, but like any young child she wanted to talk about other things once she got to know me.

A deer walking through the yard provides a distraction for an active young mind.

㽶ƵֱI want to pet it,㽶Ƶֱ said Sophia.

Sophia and brother Elija, 4 1/2, are curious about my camera and notebook. Sophia㽶Ƶֱs concentration on the interview ends at that point and Selina takes over.

She has two other children, Gabriel, 7 1/2, and Zoee, 6, who are both in school at the time.

It㽶Ƶֱs a busy family and Selina is relieved the scare from the incident did not result in any permanent brain damage for Sophia after she fell 20 feet onto concrete.

㽶ƵֱThe brain is amazing,㽶Ƶֱ said Selina.

㽶ƵֱFor her, she still has some speech that needs to be worked on in speech therapy. Her balance has come back for the most part.㽶Ƶֱ

Selina has noticed some frustration on Sophia㽶Ƶֱs part with her speech.

㽶ƵֱShe will think about what she wants to say and sometimes it won㽶Ƶֱt come out,㽶Ƶֱ Selina said.

There is no need to return to BC Children㽶Ƶֱs Hospital for a follow-up, but there will be some therapy and a further assessment on her brain injury to be done in April.

But other than that, things worked out far better than could have been expected, with subtle differences.

㽶ƵֱShe㽶Ƶֱs a lot more emotional than she was before,㽶Ƶֱ observed Selina.

㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm still kind of in shock over the whole thing. I㽶Ƶֱve been in the hospital for three weeks with her. The first week was the worst. It㽶Ƶֱs so nice to be home and in our usual routine.㽶Ƶֱ

After the interview heads, I㽶Ƶֱm heading toward Chemainus and it hits me I should have had a picture taken of myself with Sophia. One day she㽶Ƶֱll need a reminder of her first newspaper interview and I wanted to record it as being among the most memorable and heartwarming stories I㽶Ƶֱve done because of her remarkable recovery.

When I return to the Taylor house later, Sophia immediately recognizes me and gives me a big hug. It㽶Ƶֱs an uplifting moment amid some of the troubling times we㽶Ƶֱve been experiencing.

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Sophia Taylor shows the Courier㽶Ƶֱs Don Bodger her unicorn. (Photo by Selina Taylor)


Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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