February 12, 2003
GUATEMALA CITY - "Oh my goodness what a pretty baby," Helen Freeman said. A dramatic moment for the Tifton woman Helen holding one-year old Maria Teresa Quiej. "Look there's your sister," Freeman said.
Maria Jesus and Maria Teresa spent the first year of their lives together, but never saw each other, because they were attached at the brain. Mac and Helen Freeman were invited to Guatemala City to visit them for the role they played in getting the Pediatric Foundation it's first ambulance, donated by Tifton's Helping Hands.
"This ambulance had been furnishing their transportation to and from the hospital and to and from the airport," Helen Freeman said.
Six months after the surgery the girls are finally back home after being separated in an American hospital. Helen Freeman helped organize this trip, along with at least 30 others the group of mostly South Georgia orthopedics, and plastic surgeons have made in the past ten years.
"You get out of the car, and they want you to look at the little girl or boy, men and women waiting for American doctors."
Though they only get the chance to touch a few peoples lives each trip, they say this time it's these two miracle girls who made a huge impact on them .
Helping Hands received the ambulance from a private donor who purchased it, Gary Fisk of Panama City. It's the second ambulance they've delivered to Guatemala on a banana boat, the other was donated by Decatur County in 1996.
posted at 5:20 p.m. by dave.d'marko@walb.com
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