Principal Maimed In Accident Meets Those Who Saved His Life
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A South Florida high school principal who survived a devastating accident that took his legs met with the people who saved his life.
A doctor said Javier Perez's will to survive was off the charts. He had 100 transfusions on his first day in the hospital following the crash and had about 21 operations over ten weeks at Kendall Regional Medical Center.
Friday was his day to say thank you.
They clapped for 44-year-old Javier Perez but the principal of South Dade Senior High School said the applause should really be for the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics and doctors and nurses at Kendall Regional Medical Center who helped save his life.
"I'm alive so I'm pretty happy," said Perez. "It was amazing, just the whole time through, I can't even express it."
Perez's legs were amputated after a horrible accident April 26th at Tamiami Park. Police say Marilyn Aguilera was driving drunk when her GMC Envoy plowed through a fence and struck Perez and two other people as he was helping coach his son's little league team.
"The last thing I remember is helping a dear friend of mine that was there with me, pushing him out-of-the-way and that's all I remember until now," said Perez.
Related: Principal Maimed By Alleged Drunk Driver Throws Out 1st Pitch At Marlins Game
Perez received a survivor's medal from the hospital and then posed with all those who helped him.
"Javi being alive, That's it and every single angel that walked into the hospital and those that were there at the field and there was a lot," said Perez's wife Maytee.
He now goes to therapy 3 to 4 times a week and goes to the gym almost every day to try to get stronger.
"I've always said you know I left walking the day I left and I'm going to go back walking," said Perez.
Perez said he has heard the reports that the driver was reportedly three times above the legal limit for alcohol when he was hit but he told CBS4's Peter D'Oench he didn't want to talk about that. He wanted to focus on looking ahead.
