Flesh Eating Bacteria Victim Released From Hospital And 'Excited To Start Rehab'
July 2 2012, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
By Debbie Emery - RadarOnline.com Reporter
After spending two months battling the devastating flesh-eating disease that led to multiple amputations, Aimee Copeland has finally been discharged from a Georgia hospital.
Before she heads home, the 24-year-old will be treated at a rehab center to come to terms with her loss of limbs and the multiple skin grafts that she has endured, reported CNN.com.
"Aimee is very excited, like a kid going off to college," her father, Andy Copeland said Monday, "but she also realizes that rehab will be arduous. But she says she will handle it."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Aimee contracted the hideous infection on May 1 after falling from a homemade zip line into infected water near the Little Tallapoosa River and has since lost both her hands, her left leg and right foot as doctors battle to stop the deadly bacteria from spreading.
Last week, the student from Snellville, Georgia, was wheeled out of the doors of the Doctors Hospital in Augusta into the sunshine for the first time, where she seemed unfazed by her extensive injuries while smiling for a family photo with her parents.
Andy explained how happy the family is for Aimee to enter the new phase on her road to recovery. "This next step is her opportunity to go (to) the next phase and learn something, be able to rehabilitate and basically relearn her life skills," he told CNN.
"She needs to be able to develop the autonomy to be able to transfer from her bed to a wheelchair to the shower to the bathroom or anywhere else in the house. And she can do it."
However, leaving the people who have supported her was bittersweet for Copeland. "She hated to see a lot of people she loves, to say goodbye," said Andy. "The sweet is that she is moving on to the next phase."
Aimee's positive attitude in light of intense adversity has led to her having a slew of celebrity supporters including Ann Curry, Katie Couric, Kirstie Alley and Sofia Vergara, who have all reached out to her with words of encouragement.
"She's a very determined young lady. When she sets her mind to something, she achieves it," said her proud dad, who recently revealed that the University of West Georgia psychology student is still determined to get her master's degree in December, and to walk onto the stage to receive her diploma.
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