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Travy Thurston
Student Recovers After 3 Years in a Vegetative State
When Travalia Thurston was accepted into the rigorous fashion design program at DASH (Design and Architecture Senior High School), her dream had come true and she was ready to put her gift to the test. She finished the first year at the top of her class and was anxious to begin her sophomore year when tragedy struck.
A family vacation turned into a nightmare for Travalia and her family. Upon returning to the United States, the young, studious girl became ill and was diagnosed with Encephalites Laethargica/Meningitis, a rare illness that affects the central nervous system. Travalia fell into a coma. Her family waited desperately for the young girl to awake from her vegetative state.
After 6 weeks and after losing nearly 60 pounds, she opened her eyes, but she continued in a vegetative state. Three years later, Travalia spoke for the first time, an improvement that made her family ecstatic and that also marked the beginning of her battle to fully recover. Travalia learned to speak, read, write and walk all over again.
Today, four years later, Travy, as she is affectionately called, is back at DASH and pursuing her dreams to become a fashion designer. She has been accepted into the Honors Program at Miami Dade College, an accomplishment she very well deserves.
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