SHE MADE IT BACK TO TEXAS.
Fifty-two days after a catastrophic brain bleed left an 18-year-old Texas graduate fighting for her life nearly 9,000 miles away, Thalia has finally made it back to Texas.
Not home quite yet.
She is now hospitalized in Dallas, where a new team of doctors is evaluating her and preparing to run more tests Monday.
But after everything this family has endured, simply getting their girl safely out of Thailand and back onto Texas soil is a milestone they once could only pray for.
“We arrived last night!!” her family told me.

Think about everything it took to get here.
Thalia had just graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo and was celebrating with her family on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand when she suddenly became lightheaded, collapsed and began seizing.
Doctors discovered a catastrophic hemorrhagic brain bleed.
She underwent two emergency brain surgeries.
Her family then spent weeks beside her in a neurological ICU thousands of miles from home, watching for the smallest signs of progress and wondering what each new day might bring.
Her eyes began opening.

The swelling in her brain stabilized.
Her loved ones continued talking to her and holding her hand, believing their girl could hear them even when she couldn’t respond.
And through it all, they kept fighting to get her back to Texas.
Now they have.
Thalia’s uncle visited her in Dallas and sent an update that captures both the hope and the difficult reality of where this family is right now.
“Thali had a safe trip back and is doing better than she was in Thailand but is hard to watch in person.”
He also noticed something that gave the family reason to keep watching closely.
“It seemed like she would look in the direction of who was talking but it takes a bit.”
Her doctors will run more tests Monday, and her family still doesn’t know exactly what Thalia’s recovery will ultimately look like.

So this is not the end of her fight.
It’s another beginning.
When I first shared Thalia’s story in July, her family desperately wanted to get her medically transported back to Texas for the specialized care and rehabilitation ahead.
That part of the prayer has now been answered.
And I keep thinking about something I wrote when her family shared video from her hospital room in Thailand.
I asked everyone to pray that the next video wouldn’t be one of her family talking to Thalia…
…but one of Thalia talking back.
We’re not there yet.
So please don’t stop praying now.
Pray for what doctors learn from Monday’s testing.
Pray for continued healing in her brain.
Pray for meaningful neurological progress.
And pray for the strength this family will need as they finally get a clearer picture of what the next chapter may require.
Thalia dreamed of a career caring for other people.