Saturday, July 26, 2008

On her way

Petra on race day

Four weeks to the day after she was mauled by a brown bear during a 24-hour race, Petra Davis sat smiling and laughing this afternoon at a table full of her teenage friends.

It was a beautiful sight.

As beautiful as the huge smiles on the faces of her parents, who held a potluck to celebrate her going home from the hospital weeks earlier than expected.

Out of respect for the family's desire for privacy, I've resisted posting updates on Petra's condition in recent weeks. But her story made national news, and people across the country are still landing here while doing Google searches for updates on how she's doing, so this feels like the right time.

She's still seeing a lot of doctors, getting physical therapy and working on her recovery. But she's home, she's strong and she's ahead of schedule.

Petra's encounter with the bear was the darkest spot of a dreary, cold summer, but if the smile on her face today was any indication, the forecast is looking much brighter.

4 comments:

Bonnie said...

Thank you for the update! It is great to hear that she is doing well. Many have been concerned about her.

The Old Bag said...

Good to hear -- thanks for posting
!

Anonymous said...

You know,it's funny how seeing a healthy young person can brighten a rainy summer. I never realized how much her attack affected me until I saw her and her family Sat.It was truly a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Leonard F.

corinne said...

thank you for posting good news about petra's recovery. i don't know her or her family, but that attack has impacted many of us deeply and affected how we experience anchorage's parks. please pass along my wishes for god speed with her recovery and a return to racing through our parks.