By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

After nearly a year of hospitalizations and intensive therapy, Abby Graham received an outpouring of support from friends, her church, school and the community on her recent 17th birthday.

“She knew the parade was coming but didn’t know the magnitude of it,” Stacy Graham, Abby’s mother, said. “It definitely cheered her up.”

Trucks from Tri-Clover Fire Company and well-wishers in cars drove slowly past Abby’s home along Huckleberry Road, waving, blowing horns and making a lot of noise.

A contingent from her church, Union Lutheran, as well as teachers and friends from Parkland schools, joined in the celebration.

Many brought presents, treats and balloons for Abby on the festive occasion.

Last year at this time, Abby was completing 10th grade at Parkland High School in the gifted program where she was doing well in three Advanced Placement classes.

She was hoping to go to the University of Pennsylvania after high school.

Last July, Abby was participating in the Iacocca Global Entrepreneur program at Lehigh University when she experienced a severe headache and blacked out.

Diana Shepherd, Abby’s mentor in the program, and a nearby student carried her to a van and rushed her to St. Luke’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with a bleeding stroke.

Dr. Evan Marlin performed brain surgery and saved her life, Stacy Graham explained.

She said Abby’s arteries and veins were malformed since birth but no one knew it.

“It was a ticking time bomb,” Stacy Graham said. “Then, they ruptured.

Abby spent two weeks at St. Luke’s, six weeks at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and two weeks at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation.

Since then she has been under the care of the Pediatric Stroke Team at CHOP, sometimes doing therapy at home and other times at the facility.

“Every day, there are new recoveries, new therapies and new things,” Stacy Graham said.

As the stroke was on Abby’s left side, her right side was affected.

She doesn’t have use of her right hand and walks with a brace as her right side is weak.

Her mother noted Abby can speak but has to take time to process what she wants to say due to some confusion.

“Some days she cries and wants her life back,” Stacy Graham said. “Everything is a struggle.

”The school has been wonderful. She has a whole team behind her.”

Abby’s mother thanked all the individuals and organizations who offered fundraisers, gift cards and support.

“It really does take a village to raise a child,” said Stacy Graham, who had to quit her job to care for Abby. “We are where we are today because of everybody else.

“Little things make me cry. We’ve received food, money, and gift cards from people we don’t know.”

She said Pastor Gordon Camp and assistant to the pastor, Cathy Shaffer, from Union Lutheran Church have provided support from the first day.

Stacy Graham recognized her daughter’s fortitude in the struggle to regain her strength and move ahead.

“She likes to be part of her recovery. Ultimately, this is her life,” Stacy Graham said.