Far away from class, but not forgotten

It's almost like a normal school day for 7-year-old Christian Daigle.

Each morning he wakes up, has breakfast, gets dressed in preparation to see his classmates - who smile and waive at him.

Except now his classmates can see but not hear him. While they can enjoy a regular school day, Christian is more than 50 miles away in a hospital bed at Tampa Regional Hospital, recovering from a stroke.

However, he's not alone.

Setup with a computer and Web camera, Christian spends the beginning of the morning in bed watching his classmates at Hernando Christian Academy settle in for another day. He can listen to their classroom lessons and the stories they have read to them.

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, each of his second-grade classmates take turns going in front of their class Web camera waiving and telling Christian "good morning." Sometimes his classmates crowd around the camera to waive all at once.

Throughout the day and between medical testing and other procedures, Christian's mom, Anna, said he can also tune in to what is being done in class and catch up at his pace.

She said it's a great way to not only keep Christian's spirits up, but help him regain some of his cognitive skills that were affected by the stroke he suffered more than two weeks ago.

"It gives him something to stay interested in and ask questions about, such as the book they're reading," Anna said. "And the school has been great helping us set this up and helping to offer something that's familiar that gives him a sense of belonging."

On Dec. 2, Anna said Christian was playing with his brother on the trampoline and horsing around when he began complaining about his eye hurting. Later, he collapsed.

A helicopter landed in their yard and Anna said Christian was flown to the hospital where doctors told her Christian had suffered a stroke.

Essentially, Christian's heart had a hole in it that allowed a blood clot to circulate to his brain, which caused the stroke and resulted in the paralysis of his right side.

Anna said since then, Christian has made great strides in recovering his mobility and speech - although it might still be a while before he's moving on his own.

A new procedure was also recently performed on Christian to close the gap in his heart, Anna said.

Following the stroke, she said she's had a great response from school, church and community members to help Christian. From setting up the computer and Web camera to stopping by to bring classroom and other materials to the hospital for Christian, she said she's received a lot of support.

At the school, Christian Academy Elementary Principal Cathy McAllister said her experience with her own son being in the hospital many years ago prompted her to want more for Christian. She said she felt her son was disconnected from his classmates and fell behind in coursework.

In Christian's case, she said his classmates bring him with them to every school function - sitting him in the front row to view everything from concerts to Christmas plays and other shows.

"The community - just everyone has really gone out of their way to help us and have been so supportive to help this little guy," Anna said. "We only just moved here a year ago - it's just very touching."

McAllister said it's not only been a great experience for Christian, but his classmates as well, who she can tell miss him.

"At first we didn't know whether he would really use it or how much, but he loves it," McAllister said. "And different people can just come right up and talk to him on the Web cam and give him encouragement."

For now, Anna said Christian is learning to write with his left hand using kindergarten writing activity sheets and other learning materials to help him regain his learning skills. Eventually, she said she thinks the prognosis is good for him to make a 100 percent recovery - or close to it.

"The good thing is that he's young and more likely to recover from something like this," Anna said. "But even after he's discharged, he's still going to need physical therapy."

For a boy who loves basketball, karate and just about any outdoor activity, she said it's been difficult for him to change his habits.

Meanwhile, some of Christian's fellow students are eager for his return.

Maura Vanmeter, 7 said she misses having Christian in class to laugh and be silly with and can't wait for him to return.

"He's very funny and he makes me laugh a lot - he's my best friend in the whole class," Maura said.