Xitclalli “Chilli” Vasquez is nine years old. She lives in Texas, loves her family, enjoys school, and hopes to one day become a doctor.
Last year, Chilli’s hopes were all but dashed when a young drunk driver hit her mother’s car as they were driving from the local shopping mall where she had her hair and nails done.
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Chilli was so excited to go home and show her family her new look, but instead she was left paralysed when the car of 21-year-old Jeremy Solis, who was three times over the legal blood alcohol limit, ploughed into the car.
Last week, the brave young girl reduced a Texas courtroom to tears as she read aloud a letter to the man responsible for rendering her wheelchair-bound, describing in heartbreaking detail how he changed her life.
The letter was entitled “From One of your Victom” (sic).
“I don’t remember the first several days. I could not talk, so I had to use my thumb to answer yes or no. While I was in ICU I had very bad moment,” she wrote and read to the convicted drunk driver.
“There were times that I would cry and cry… in therapy they showed me how to lift myself and dress myself. But right now it’s still very hard. My mom does a lot for me but I try myself. There are days that I cry because I can’t do what I used to. Well, I could keep going but my hand is getting tired.”
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Chilli added that she hopes to learn to walk again, and will continue to write to Solis.
She hopes he will respond from prison, where he has been sentenced to spend 10 years.
