A procession welcomed home an Egg Harbor Township teen nearly three months after a crash left her critically injured.
Emily Davis, 15, was riding her bike home from her mother's salon with her brother and a friend May 8, when she was fell on Ocean Heights, and then was run over by the rear wheels of a tow truck.
Her injuries include broken legs, fractured pelvis and collapsed lungs. Then, she had to have her right leg amputated to save her life after she continued to fight an unknown infection, her mother wrote in an update on a GoFundMe that had been set up for the family.
The heartbreaking move helped them find what was causing the infection, and seems to be the catalyst that helped bring her home.
When police learned she was returning the township, they planned an escort, Police Chief Fred Spano explained.
Soon, township EMTs and firefighters, and even public safety representatives from neighboring towns joined in.
"The more people that heard about it, the more people that joined in," Spano said.
"This was everybody in a community coming to support this young lady and her family, not only for the day but in the future," Atlantic County Sheriff Joe O'Donoghue said.
He also made sure one significant public safety employee was there.
Mike Braxton knows what Emily is going through.
On June 9, 2013, he was riding his motorcycle with a group of friends when the car in front of him changed lane, and Braxton swerved out of the way, jumping from his bike.
The pole he struck amputated his left leg instantly.
But Braxton was determined to go back to work. He not only came back as a detective, he is now is a K-9 officer.
Mike Braxton with Emily's family. (Photo courtesy Jessica Adamson)He saw something in Emily on Thursday that he remembered others said they saw in him: her smile.
"She smiled the entire time," Braxton said.
He recalled how his friends told him he was always smiling in the hospital, even though he did not recall it that way.
"Yesterday, it came full circle," he said of seeing the young girl.
"It was like, 'I’m home watch what I do. Just watch,'" Braxton said. "She didn't say that. But that’s what I was reading from her face."
He told her he would be there whatever she needs, and gave a goodie bag that included a journal to write her thoughts and her progress, including the ups and downs.
"During the recovery you have thoughts that maybe your friends and family won’t understand," he told her said. "Even you, at that time, might not understand what you’re going through. But you can look back later on and see how far you’ve come."
He told her she had the support system to do anything with her family, and the whole community that gathered outside her home to celebrate her return.
The "goodie bag" Braxton put together included an Atlantic City Police Department badge. He will follow it up with a K-9 patch as well.
"I wear it proudly," he said of his own badge. "I was able to return back to work and they accepted me."
He also included a gift card for Amplife, an amputee clothing line, and told her he could get her whatever she wants.
"One part of the process is getting used to your new appearance. It helped me," said Braxton, who is a spokesman for the company.
For now, Emily is beginning her journey, with a full support system.
"Without question, whatever it is she wants to attain, she will," Braxton said. "I told her, 'You have such an outstanding support system. Just lean on these people."
