A Colombian mother was finally granted a humanitarian visa that allowed her to fly to the US and be by her daughter’s side as she fights for her life.
Hellen Pachon, 21, suffered life-threatening injuries during a vehicle crash on 26 January in Broward County, Florida. According to her mother Paola Andrea Duran, Ms Pachon has two broken legs, severe lung injuries and several broken ribs as a result of the accident.
But what concerned doctors at Broward Health North the most is that Ms Pachon also suffered a serious brain injury. Ms Duran said that she was informed by medical staff that there was nothing else they could do to save her daughter’s life as she remained on life support.
On social media, Ms Duran pleaded for days to the US Embassy in Colombia to intervene and allow her to visit her daughter. Ms Duran was finally able to see her daughter as she arrived in the US last week, NBC6 reported.
“She’s always been a fighter,” Ms Duran, speaking in Spanish, told the outlet through tears. “I know she can recover from this.”
Ms Pachon had moved to the US about a year ago, NBC reported. She was working hard to help her mother and two siblings living in Colombia, Ms Duran said.
Authorities said Ms Pachon was riding a scooter when she collided with a vehicle in the city of Deerfield Beach.
The driver stayed at the scene, according to Telemundo51. It is unclear whether charges will be filed in the case.
Doctors have told Ms Duran that her daughter’s prognosis is not good and that there is an overwhelming chance she will have to make the decision to take Ms Pachon off life support.
“I just called the hospital and they told me that the injuries on her left leg are too severe, they’ll have to amputate,” Ms Duran told Telemundo last week.
Ms Duran will be allowed to stay in the US for three months.
