If anything can show how resilient and fast learning toddlers can be, check out 2-year-old Ireland Nugent.
The Florida girl just nine weeks ago was accidentally run over by her father on a riding lawn mower. Tragically, the girl lost her legs and was in a coma because of the accident.
Now, it seems almost as if nothing has changed -- at least in terms of Ireland's attitude and mobility. Although she will wear prosthetics on her legs, Ireland's mom, Nicole, told WKMG-TV "she's a vibrant 2-and-a-half year old kid running around like nothing ever happened."
Ireland's first set of prosthetics were custom made by Orlando Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates, which is reimbursing the family with any portion not covered by insurance. And Steve Chamberland, founder of “50 Legs in 50 Days” who lost one of his legs in a motorcycle accident, volunteered to pay for all of Ireland's prosthetics as she grows up, WKMG reported.
She took her first steps in the prosthetics Monday.
Here's how her parent's responded, according to WKMG:
"I'm just speechless. I'm so proud right now," [her father, Jerry, said.]"I was so worried what life was going to be for her. I almost felt like life was over for her, and it's not,” said Nicole Nugent. "She really is going to be OK. She really is going to have a great life."
Although Ireland is making recovery look easy, the emotional effects of the accident are still taking their toll on her parents.
"I can tell you from the accident I was living second to second, and then minute to minute, and then hour to hour. I'm still in a day to day thing, but I'm moving a little further along than I was then,” Jerry told WKMG. “Someone asked me where God was when all this was happening, and then I said he was hanging on to her until I could get a hold of her. And that's the truth. Because it was really close to being the other way. She could have died that day and she didn't."
Watch this report by the Tampa Bay Times showing Ireland walk again:
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