7 News Belize

Janay’s Journey, Back To School
posted (September 2, 2010)
We have been following 8 year old Janay Moguel's story since February when she was shot, hospitalized and later returned to Belize after receiving medical attention abroad.

But that wasn't the end of Janay's journey as today she made another big step on her road to a normal life. This morning Seven News was at the Grace Primary School when a smiling Janay arrived.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting
A school of 480 students came out to welcome back one of their own. As Janay made her entrance on her first day she got a warm reception as her friends and teachers greeted her.

Andrea Polanco
"Who's happy that Janay is Back?"

STD11-Grace Primary School
"Me me me me…"

Andrea Polanco
"So what do you want to say to Janay today?"

STD11-Grace Primary School
"Welcome back to school."

Andrea Polanco
"So what are you guys going to do today with Janay?"

STD11-Grace Primary School
"Play…help her…help Janay."

Andrea Polanco
"So I understand that you are Janay's good friend?"

Kaylie Andrews, Janay's friend
"Yes."

Andrea Polanco
"Are you happy that Janay is back?"

Kaylie Andrews, Janay's friend
"Yes very much."

Andrea Polanco
"So what do you plan to do with Janay for the rest of the day?"

Kaylie Andrews, Janay's friend
"Help her and gives her whatever she needs."

Janay, very happy to be back, told us how she prepared for her big day and what she'll be doing at school.

Janay Moguel
"I am really excited."

Andrea Polanco
"So here your friends are today; are you happy to see them? What are you going to do with them or what are you going tell them later?"

Janay Moguel
"Play with them and tell them how much I miss them alot."

Seven News spoke with Brenda Sheppard Principal of Grace Primary and she told us that special accommodations have been made to help Janay.

Brenda Sheppard, Principal-Grace Primary School
"Ms. Rose told us that Janay wanted to come back to school it was like exciting, challenging you know but we rose to the occasion and started to make preparations. Our school is extremely small so we had to do a whole lot of adjustments and we look at the school situation where Janay would fit best and so we built the ramps and so on. As the mother explained to you Janay needs time to rest she cannot stay in the wheelchair all day so we took a little part of our kitchen to make a little rest room for her it is not completed as yet because they are supposed to bring in the bed and so on but that will be done by Friday I understand."

Stephanie Singh, Std. 11 Teacher
"Well Janay I've just tried to prepare space for her. I haven't created any handicaps for her that she can move around in this space. Cognitively Janay is functioning and so in that respect I didn't really need to prepare, just the physical aspect of it and the school did most of that with the ramps and so on. In here, this is the group of children that Janay was with at the time of her accident; actually she was asking to come back with her friends and so hopefully makes it a little easier for her. I've talk to the children, we discussed it and they have decided that they will be very helpful to her. I told them it's still Janay , she is just not walking around so she will need your help and they are open to that and I certainly am open to that and so we hope that we have a good year together. We will have a good year together. This is the first time that I am meeting Janay and as the year goes on I'll find out the things that she needs and likes and of course we will have those around for her. I try to create areas in here where she can go and read in the wheel chair. She doesn't really have to depend on somebody bringing stuff for her. We have prepared those things for her but her friends will be around her."

If you knew Janay before she was shot you'd know that she was a smart, happy child with lots of energy so today Janay made it clear that a bullet may have stopped her from walking but it hasn't broken her spirit.

Janay Moguel
"I am feeling great."

Andrea Polanco
"Today is a very big day for you right? You are back to school for the first time in a couple of months. How do you feel about this?"

Janay Moguel
"I am feeling good, real good."

Andrea Polanco
"Janay I know that at this time you are back at school, you are in a wheel chair, can you tell us will this stop you from moving on from doing anything?"

Janay Moguel
"No, it's not going to stop me."

Although Janay seems very happy and right at home with her friends, she's still trying to come to terms with not being able to walk. Her mother Rose Moguel tells us more:

Rose Moguel, Mother
"She is definitely wiser, she asks a lot of questions like you know any child will. She is frustrated at times. Counseling- she is still doing therapy four times a week so she is basically coping with it. And of course I talk to her you know because they are going to be people who will be looking at her and so on so I tell her that. And I constantly let her know you are loved, we are praying maybe God is going to do a miracle for you."

Prayer and determination for this 8 year old who has only one dream.

Andrea Polanco
"What are your dreams for the future? What do you want to do with your life?"

Janay Moguel
"I want to walk back again."

The standard two student will be leaving again for the U.S in December to do check-up and possibly surgery on the arm in which she was shot.

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