A dream is granted for 7-year-old brain injury victim
GATES, Tenn. — 7-year-old Lulu Milam is the new owner of her dream home, a Minnie Mouse themed boutique that now sits in her back yard. Last summer, Lulu Milam’s doctors and family thought she would never see or walk again. But Friday afternoon, doctors visits and therapy sessions were put aside for a big surprise. “It is awesome!” Lulu said. She holds the key to her new playhouse because of the Dyersburg Chapter Dream Factory. Lulu’s struggles started a year ago, after a life-changing car crash. “She suffered a traumatic brain injury during a vehicle accident, was in in-patient rehab for quite a bit of time, and she actually had part of her skull removed,” explained Shelley Seratt, the volunteer Medical Director for the Dream Factory and one of Lulu’s therapists. The 7-year-old still has to see doctors nearly every day, sometimes twice. For the family, the recovery process has been tough. “She’s come further than they said she would. They said she would never walk again and she would never regain her eyesight again, so therapy has been one of the biggest blessings because it’s helped her come so far,” Melinda Jones, Lulu’s mom, said. It is a rewarding experience for everyone. “Probably one of the most rewarding parts of being part of the dream factory and my job is to get, from start to finish, to see them get their dream come true,” Seratt said. Seeing how much joy it brings to kids like Lulu makes builders like A-1 Construction’s Jason Harper keep coming back to be a part of these projects. “It’s very rewarding and very humbling, you know, to be able to help. You can’t ever go wrong helping God’s angels for sure, because that’s what all these babies are,” said Harper. Lulu’s family said this is just one more dream, after conquering many obstacles, that’s become reality. The Dyersburg Chapter of Dream Factory has been in the community for more than 20 years now. To find out more information about the organization, visit the “Seen on 7” section.
