Izaiah Wallis, who has spent the last six months in hospital, celebrated his second birthday Sunday.
While it’s a happy time for his family to see, he’s still recovering from being hit by a drunk driver last year.
Six months ago Izaiah was in a stroller being pushed by his grandfather, when an SUV plowed into them on a sidewalk in Oceanside. The 17-year old driver was drunk and the accident left Izaiah paralyzed and blind.
Now, Izaiah spends his days at Rady Children's Hospital as his family maintains hope that his situation will improve.
"I still believe he can get better even if it takes you know months, years whatever it takes him, he's my son so I still believe in him,” Izaiah’s mother, Lucy Verde said.
Izaiah has recently battled a set-back with pneumonia and still needs the help of a ventilator to breathe, but it’s not his illness that his parent focus on, rather they look for his progress, even if it hasn’t come easy.
"I have to stay strong for him because I don't want him to see me cry. And he can feel when we're sad so I don't want to show him that."
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And while he's still not strong enough to leave the hospital yet, his parents and family are grateful to be celebrating his birthday.
"I mean even though he wasn't like the happy little boy we knew on his first birthday we're just so blessed just to still have him here and that we're still able to celebrate his birthdays,” said Izaiah’s father, Jacob Wallis.
The family gathered Sunday for a hospital room celebration with friends, presents and cake.
There’s one birthday wish they all share, said his father.
“For him to recover and for us to be able to bring him home,” he said.
