Mother holds hope for daughter in coma

Friday, May 25, 2001 | 11:24 a.m.

Renee Williams feels blessed to have a daughter and four grandchildren.

Six months ago, as her 21-year-old daughter, Giana Danielle Richardson, was clinging to life in a coma after giving birth, the future of her family having any degree of happiness was in serious doubt.

Still, it has been a rocky half-year for Richardson, who awoke from her coma and was moved to a recovery home only to suffer a setback when her feeding tube was pulled out. She was taken to University Medical Center, where she is recovering.

"I still believe Danielle will recover one day," said Williams, who is raising Richardson's children, including Amira, now 6 months old.

"The doctors said Danielle would be a vegetable, but the Lord has blessed her so far. She made progress. She holds her daughter and can speak a few words. Time will tell."

Williams also wants to thank the Las Vegas community for coming to her family's aid this past Christmas when Richardson, a lifelong Las Vegan who attended Cimarron-Memorial High School, fell into a coma on Nov. 7 during what was supposed to be a normal childbirth.

That physical complication, which included Richardson's heart stopping briefly, was compounded by thieves breaking into her West Las Vegas apartment and stealing all of her valuable possessions and Christmas gifts as she was fighting for her life at the hospital.

After a television news report of the incident, donations poured in. Richardson received furniture for her new apartment, new television sets and cable boxes, a microwave oven and gifts for her children.

"I can't thank the people of Las Vegas enough for what they did to give my grandchildren a wonderful Christmas," Williams said, noting that unfortunately her family is not yet out of the woods.

The cost of raising four children and assisting her ailing daughter back to health has drained Williams' financial resources.

The BankWest of Nevada account set up to help the family in November is still open but empty. Donations can be deposited into account No. 110050797 to Renee Williams for the benefit of Danielle Richardson.

Donations will not only be used to assist Richardson's children, the eldest of whom is 8, but also to help defray the cost of Richardson's physical, occupational and speech therapy, Williams said.