DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — What started as a typical Saturday outing to see "Wicked" at the movies quickly became a nightmare for Tina Stevenson and her daughter Brinley. The pair were on their way home when their car was hit in a T-bone collision at Riverside Parkway in Douglasville.
“When the car hit us, I didn’t know what happened. It just went black, and I couldn’t breathe,” Tina recalled.
Brinley, seated in the back on the passenger side, suffered critical injuries. Tina injured herself and, overwhelmed with fear, scrambled to comfort her daughter.
“I got in the backseat and said, ‘Brinnie, stay with me!’ She was purple,” Tina said, her voice breaking.
Both were rushed to Cobb Hospital, but Brinley’s condition quickly let doctors know she'd need to be transferred to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital. Doctors say her injuries are severe, and her long-term prognosis is still uncertain.
“I don’t know if she’s ever going to fully move again. We don’t know if or when she’s coming home,” Tina admitted.
Despite the uncertainty, there is hope. Brinley has regained some movement in her legs and has feeling in her arms— signs that doctors are encouraging the family to hold onto.
“She can move her legs! So her legs are strong, and that’s a blessing,” Tina said. “The fact that she has feeling in her arms is a good sign. They told me she has age on her side, too, because she's just 7.”
This Thanksgiving, Brinley found a moment of joy when she found out her brother suggested naming a holiday after her once they got home.
“It made her smile,” Tina said. “She said, ‘He does love me.’”
The Stevenson family is now relying on the support of their community and their unshakable love for one another to endure the months ahead. Fundraising efforts are helping ease the financial strain as Tina faces a lengthy recovery herself while also caring for Brinley through treatments and therapy.
“Life can change in an instant,” Tina reflected. “What matters most is that my baby’s stomach rises and falls every day. Everything else will take care of itself somehow.”
Brinley could be moved out of the intensive care unit (ICU) as soon as Friday, offering a small but meaningful step forward. Meanwhile, her family is grateful for the care from the doctors who saved her life and the support from the community that continues to sustain them.
This holiday season, the Stevensons embody and are a testament to resilience, gratitude and the enduring power of hope. If you'd like to help them during this time, you can support them here.