It’s a big moment for Nia Wallace as her proud mum Priscilla helps her put on her backpack for her first day at kindergarten. As the four-year-old walks towards the classroom, excited about the day ahead of her, Priscilla fights back tears of happiness. This is a day that Priscilla feared would never happen for her brave little daughter.
Eight months ago, doctors thought Nia’s chances of seeing her fourth birthday were slim after a 15-year-old learner driver lost control of his car and ran the preschooler over next to the letterbox of the family’s Auckland home.
But Nia has not only reached four, she’s well enough to attend kindergarten. Even more remarkable, this courageous wee girl is able to walk, despite doctors once warning her parents she was likely to be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
It’s hard to believe this is the same child who was left fighting for her life in February. When the car smashed into her, she went under it, hitting the exhaust pipe or diff, which caused massive head injuries.
After a six-month battle in hospital and a rehabilitation centre, Nia finally came home in August – just in time for her fourth birthday and a big party with her brother Chase (8) and sister Anais (6).
“They can’t stop showering her with kisses because they are so pleased to have her home,” says Priscilla. “It’s been very traumatic for them.”
The other children and Priscilla were with Nia that terrible day and all three saw the nightmare accident. Having Nia home from hospital and getting back into family life has helped to heal some of the horror of what happened.
“The kids are so happy now,” Priscilla (33) says smiling. “Chase’s teacher told me she noticed an instant change in him. He doesn’t talk about what happened, whereas Anais does and they are both still worried about the dangers on the road.
“Anais won’t even walk outside the front door on her own if she can see a car coming down the road. She’s been badly affected by all this and always needs someone with her when she goes outside,” says Gavin (33), a project engineer, who was at work when the accident happened.
Amazingly, Nia, who spent three months recuperating at Takapuna’s Wilson Home after her stay at Starship Hospital, has no problems going outdoors. She’s even happy to go with her mum to check the letterbox – the exact same spot where the car hit her on that fateful day.
“I am amazed Nia has no problems going out there,” Priscilla says. “It’s hard to let go. We watch her like a hawk, but at the same time we have to move forward.”
It’s Nia’s determination to move on from her injuries that’s keeping her parents going through this difficult journey.
“We can’t wrap her up in cotton wool for the rest of her life,” Gavin adds. “She wants to learn and we have to help her do that.”
Nia spent 11 days in an induced coma so her brain could recover from the head injuries. She even had a tyre mark across her tiny body. Then, three days after the accident, she developed blood clots in her brain that led to a stroke, affecting the right side of her brain.
“Nia had six brain operations,” says Gavin. “She has nerve damage that has affected her face and eyes. The stroke damaged her brain so it doesn’t acknowledge the right side of her body.”
But the little girl has constantly defied medical predictions during her recovery. She re-learned to walk, talk and eat, and is adjusting to life with ear and eye damage.
“Having her back home with the family is the best treatment for her now,” says Priscilla. “If it wasn’t for Chase and Anais she would probably still be in a wheelchair. They helped give her the confidence and support she needed to walk. Now she’s even trying to run. It’s amazing.”
The family always planned to have Nia come home in time for her birthday, and in the end, she got to have three parties: one birthday celebration at the rehabilitation centre, another birthday party at home and then a “welcome home”” party, too.
“We gave her a silver charm bracelet and she had gorgeous flower cupcakes,” says Priscilla, who has given up her part-time job as a nanny to be Nia’s full-time caregiver. “The whole family went to Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World. It felt good going out together and doing normal family activities again.”
Nia is having one session of kindergarten a week and is doing well. She’s also had her first sleepover at her grandparents’ and has even been given the okay to go camping with the family at Christmas.
“She’s improving every day,” Gavin says. “Doctors can’t give us any answers about what she’s going to be like, so we take it as it comes. But the specialists say they are extremely happy with her recovery.”
Unlike many other couples in similar life-changing situations, Gavin and Priscilla say the trauma has made them strong. But they struggle with strangers staring at their daughter.
“Because of the way the damage has affected her eyes, people assume she’s mentally disabled – but she’s not,” Priscilla says passionately. “People feel sorry for her, as they think she’s impaired, but she’s doing everything other four-year-olds do. And in time, she will be able to have an operation to straighten her eyes.”
Nia’s miracle recovery has taken a lot of pressure off the family. But they’re still angry at what they see as lenient driving laws. “The driving age should be raised for a start,” Gavin says. “The process a learner driver goes through is not sufficient. They don’t get taught how to get themselves out of dangerous situations.”
Priscilla also wants to see compulsory insurance introduced. “That way, if a young person buys a sporty car but hasn’t got enough experience to handle it, they won’t get insurance and won’t be able to drive it.”
Gavin and Priscilla plan to campaign for a legislation change, but for now their priority is Nia. The couple invited the driver, who received a community service sentence, to meet their children – but have not heard back. They aren’t dwelling on that, though. Their family is their focus.
“Every night Gavin and I sing Nia a song,” Priscilla explains. “I always sing her You Are oy Sunshine. But a few nights ago she sung the entire song by herself, which was neat. It was a really special moment and we felt reassured that everything is going to be okay.”
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