Just over a month after a rollerblading accident left her in a medically-induced coma, Argentinian dancer Lucila Munaretto returned to a Vancouver ballet studio Saturday with crutches in hand.
It was an emotional homecoming for the Argentinian dancer, who spent two weeks in a medically-induced coma after colliding with a car while rollerblading in North Vancouver, B.C. in August. The crash shattered her pelvis and injured her spine, jaw and head.
The crash also inspired an online fundraising effort, which has raised more than $40,000 for Munaretto so far. Her friends and family estimate they will need $100,000 in total to cover her rehabilitation costs.
The 20-year-old was released from hospital on Friday, and by Saturday afternoon, she was back at Pacific Dance Arts in Vancouver.
There, Munaretto was greeted by a crowd of friends and instructors, who welcomed her back and wished her a speedy recovery.
"It feels good to be here, I wish I could take part," she said.
Munaretto came to Canada on a dance scholarship from Coastal City Ballet in 2012. Since then, she's starred as Gretel in the company's production of "Hansel and Gretel," and as a step-sister in a production of "Cinderella."
She says that dancing has been her passion since she was a child.
"Dance is my life. I've been doing it since I was four years old," she told CTV Vancouver.
According to an update published Saturday on Munaretto's fundraising page, the young dancer still can't put any weight on her right leg, thanks to a broken pelvis.
The update also says Munaretto still needs to visit the hospital four times a week as an outpatient, and will need to wear a wrist brace for at least two more weeks.
But despite the obstacles ahead of her, the ballerina says she is determined to dance again.
"I know it's not going to be easy," she said. "I will have to learn everything again. But that's good, because I will be able to correct the things I wasn't able to do before."
Katie Bois, the rehearsal director at Coastal City Ballet, said that whether she is dancing or not, the company is just grateful to have Munaretto back in the studio.
"On that first weekend, we were all waiting for a call to say that she didn't survive," Bois said. "Just to have her walk through the doors and come into the studio like old times, it's just so overwhelming."
Laura Lopez, a family friend, agreed that Munaretto's recovery has been remarkable. She said he has faith that the dancer will return to the stage one day.
"We are witnessing a miracle here," Lopez said. "So we know that very soon you'll see that she'll be on stage and we'll all be enjoying her performance."
Like Lopez, Munaretto is confident that, eventually, she'll be able to dance with her friends. The ballerina knows it could take some time, but she says the wait will be worth it.
"I need to wait, to be patient," she said. "I've already waited a lot so it won't bother me just waiting a little bit more."
With files from CTV Vancouver
