POSTED: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 8:10pm
UPDATED: Friday, January 27, 2012 - 6:44pm
BATON ROUGE, La (NBC33) — THIS IS AN NBC33 NEWS UPDATE: NBC33 has just learned that Danny Morris is out of his medically induced coma. He is awake and alert.
ORIGINAL STORY: Days after Danny Morris was hit by an alleged drunk driver while cycling on Perkins Road, he's still in a medically induced coma. Now, his mother says she's ready to forgive the man who put her son in the hospital.
It was a call no mother ever wants to get.
"I just lost it," says Debbie McConnell of the moment when she heard the news that Danny had been hurt. "As a parent, as a mom, you don't want to see your child go through anything like that."
Since then, McConnell has spent every waking moment by her son's side. "I do a lot of praying cause we just don't really know what we're facing," she says.
Danny's had several surgeries since Saturday, the latest on his pelvis, but Debbie isn't sure just what lies in store next.
"It's hard to say what we have ahead of us."
The last few days have been long and difficult as McConnell struggles to figure out just why this happened.
"I'm terribly, terrible upset. I want my child to be healed and I'm very sad for Nathaniel and for the loss of him," McConnell explains. "How many more people have to be killed before someone is going to do do something?"
Still, she's trying to move forward.
"I forgive the young man," she says of Joseph Branch, who allegedly had a .307 blood alcohol level at the time of the crash. "It's a sad, sad story."
Through all of this, she's received an outpouring of love and support. "The prayers are coming from everywhere," she says. "All over California, Texas, everywhere. It's just wonderful."
It's those kind wishes that are helping her to stay positive for her son and for her family.
"That's my son. I have to. I have to stay strong," she says.
Danny is a friend and co-worker here at NBC33. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.