Clanton Family Holding On To Hope

Yvonne and John Clanton say thier doctors tell them thier daughter Selah has recovered as much as she well.

Selah was mentally disabled, and sustained a traumatic brain injury when the stroller she was riding in, with her brother, went into the Erie Canal.

Her parents say they're still holding on to thier faith, and hoping for a mircale to bring her back.

"We rescued that little girl from a mental institution," said Selah's father, John Clanton, "and then to lose her in that canal."

Tragedy struck a little more than three months after John and Yvonne Clanton adopted Selah from the Ukraine. She sustained a traumatic brain injury when the stroller she was riding in fell into the Erie Canal. The accident took away the little communication skills she had, "she would kind of make little noises, and when she would do that, then you would do the same noise back and you would banter back and forth," said John.

Even though she can no longer communicate, Selah's parents say she can still hear them, "she does move her eyes down and look at me and make contact through her eyes and so that's what we cherish that's all we have," explained John.

The Clanton's say thier heavy hearts outweigh their fear of adjusting to caring for Selah, "I really don't know how everything's going to work out when we get home," said Selah's mother, Yvonne Clanton, "but I know that we'll learn and do what we have to do, but it's just that she has to lay there"

As they come to terms with a new life, they're still holding on to hope for a breakthrough, "even though things look as bleak neurologically as they do you know we still just ask that people pray for her," said Yvonne, "and that maybe god will have mercy and do a miracle for her."

John, Yvonne, and thier family have been staying at Rochester's Ronald McDonald House for the past five years as they have made many visits to Strong Hospital.

They say the support they get from the staff, and other families has really helped them get through this tough time.

They're not sure when they'll be able to take Selah back home to Florida.