The youth fell out of a tree and hit his head; doctors gave him a slim chance of survival

After being in a coma since February 24 in the intensive care unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, suffering with a swollen brain and a fractured skull and doctors giving him only a slim chance of survival, Graciano Briceño, 12, of Orange Walk, is showing signs of improvement.

His mother, Mellissa Briceño, told reporters yesterday, Monday, that he has awakened and is moving his right hand, fingers, and is focusing on people when he is spoken to.

He is still unable to talk, however. All of the tubes that were attached to him have been removed, except the feeding tube. Graciano is still unable to eat, so he is being fed through a tube that is attached to his stomach. His brain is still swollen and will take another two months to go down, said Mellissa, but at least he is smiling a lot now.

He holds your hand when you ask him to, Mellissa said, and he is starting to make movements.

The mother said that if there are no complications, he will be returned to the Orange Walk Hospital within two weeks, where he will continue to recover.

His mother said that she is seeking monetary assistance from the public to help pay the huge medical bills that have mounted at the hospital for the medical treatment for her son. Mellissa can be contacted at cell phone number 627-4563.

Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, February 24, Graciano was playing in a tree house in his yard when a branch broke off causing him to lose his balance. He fell headfirst from the tree and landed on the concrete sidewalk below. As a result, his skull was fractured.

The mother has asked people to continue to pray for him and to remember him in their prayers.