PLANT CITY, Fla. — A mother from Plant City is still in the hospital a month after surviving a serious accident while riding an ATV.
Matilde Rodriguez was on the ATV with her 6-year-old son Jesus for a short ride down the street where their car shop on Reece Road is located. Her son said the tires were "slippery" and a dog was chasing them when they sped up and eventually flipped.
She wrapped her arms around him before they fell.
"She gave herself and protected him and just saved him, you know, from an even worse accident," her husband, Jose Rodriguez said last month.
But recently, the family said Matilde Rodriguez, known to loved ones as "Maty," is awake and responsive from her coma. Pictures and videos taken by the family show Maty smiling in response to loved ones.
Seeing her alert and smiling has lifted her loved ones' spirits, Jose Rodriguez said.
However, the road to recovery is still ongoing.
"She's one of those where she would give the shirt off of her back for anybody," Jose Rodriguez said.
Jose Rodriguez said his son put his hand on her head and prayed for her after the crash. The praying hasn't stopped at Lakeland Regional Health, where Maty is recovering, since.
Jose Rodriguez said the swelling of his wife's brain is going down. However, more surgery may be needed and a return back to the ICU out of safety. The next step would be to seek therapy in Gainesville.
"If she does go to a therapy in Gainesville we would have to find a place to stay over there," Jose Rodriguez said. "We're just saving everything as much as we can to get ready for the next step."
That would also require finding a way to work there, too, in order for Jose Rodriguez to provide for the family.
Despite the challenges the family is facing, Jose Rodriguez said they are choosing to remain hopeful.
"The more hope you have, the more opportunity she has," he said.
Aside from their faith, Jose Rodriguez said the family has been drawing strength from the support that others, including medical staff, have been able to provide.
"It doesn't cost us anything to hope that she's going to move forward and she's going to get through all of this," he said.
If you'd like to donate to the GoFundMe for Matilde Rodriguez, visit this link.