DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The 6-year-old survivor of an accident on the Chattahoochee River that killed her teenage sister on Friday is making remarkable progress, her family says.
Family members told Channel 2's Erin Coleman that Kendall Calhoun is awake and alert, talking and even walking and coloring.
6 y/o Kendall Calhoun making remarkable progress, per family. Her sister drowned saving her Fri on Chattahoochee. pic.twitter.com/0TEc4TgkQl
— Matt Johnson (@MattWSB) March 20, 2016
There was a lot of optimism Sunday because despite the loss of one sister, her family says the other one is surprising everyone with how well she's recovering.
"She's doing better than anyone thought she would do," the girl's grandmother, Jeanette Calhoun, said.
Her grandmother tells Channel 2's Matt Johnson that Kendall is now up and alert to the surprise of her doctors at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.
"They said for somebody that was a drowning victim like she was they are totally surprised at the progress, at how she's doing and how she's up talking," Jeanette Calhoun said.
The Calhoun family says Kendall wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Alyssa holding her up above the water after the river's current knocked them off their swim noodle in the Chattahoochee River.
"She lifted her sister up out of that water so that she would take the blunt force of it," Jeanette Calhoun said.
While the girls' father has been at the hospital and away from their home in Coweta County, the community has raised nearly $9,000 for him.
"We really appreciate that because at least we can afford to give Allie a burial," Jeanette Calhoun said.
The family members say they are getting through the tragedy with prayers and with gratitude for everyone who tried to save Alyssa and helped Kendall when she needed it the most.
"Without them I don't know where we would be. We lost one but we could have lost both of them," Jeanette Calhoun said.
The family plans to start making funeral arrangements next week in Coweta County.
Alyssa was a freshman at Newnan High School and the family says grief counselor will be there at the school Monday.
Cox Media Group
