Lone survivor of horrific Plant City train crash faces long road to recovery
PLANT CITY, Fla. - The lone survivor of a horrific train and SUV crash in Plant City in September is moving soon to a rehabilitation center.
Guillermo Gama III’s girlfriend, her parents, her two younger siblings and their family friend were killed in the crash. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said for an unknown reason, the SUV they were in, driven by Gama’s girlfriend’s father, Jose Hernandez, crept slowly across the tracks of a private railroad crossing, but never stopped for the train.
They were on their way to a quinceañera for Gama’s cousin.
"I actually had a friend getting dropped off there," Gama’s father, Guillermo Gama, said. "They decided they weren’t going to stay, because there was a bad accident there, and then that's when it clicked even more. And my wife's, her Spidey senses kicked in I guess you could say, and we started calling him, and he wasn’t answering," Gama said.
Gama said most of his son’s injuries, including a broken arm, bruised ribs and a fractured spine, have healed.
"We think all of this praying is really helping out," Gama said.
His internal bleeding has stopped. Guillermo Gama III, or as his family calls him, Gordo, is breathing on his own, and his eyes are open, but his dad said he’s not yet fully aware of what’s going on.
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"We just start talking to him, and he'll throw a smile at us. So, we really want to feel that is a connection, like he's connecting with us, you know, because we know when he's uncomfortable, he's making a little angry face," he said.
Gama said the trauma to Gordo’s head is the main issue.
"He's going to have to start off from square one again, you know, learning how to walk, talk, eat, just doing normal things," Gama said.
Gordo’s family is looking at rehabilitation centers to move him to soon that care for neurological injuries. Gama said the hospital has recommended centers in Gainesville, Jacksonville and the Miami areas.
"It's going to be a lot of work. We’re just ready to put in that work because I know if it would have been the other way around, he would've done the same thing for us," Gama said.
READ: New evidence reveals how police identified driver in Plant City hit-and-run
Gama said his son worked in construction and was taking nursing classes.
"He does like to help people. He has always been very helpful," Gama said. "I know that’s something that he would have been great at."
Gama said Gordo is also the best big brother to his four younger sisters.
"[We’re telling them] he’s just not feeling too good right now, and within time, he should be good, and that we should just keep praying for them … The younger ones, I don't think they really kind of comprehend what's going on. I know the two oldest ones, I know they do. And they're just they're being just as strong," Gama said.
Gama said he and his family are reminded of the tragedy every day.
"We're really trying not to live in the past, but it's hard when you live right next to that railroad where the accident happened. I see it in the mornings. It kind of brings it back," Gama said.
A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said it doesn’t have any updates on the investigation into the crash. CSX said it extends condolences to the family and is cooperating fully with the investigation.