The Desert Pines High School community is rallying behind a student recovering from a nearly fatal stroke.
Three weeks ago, 16-year-old Cinthia Dorantes remembered waking up on Saturday with a painful headache. Her family says she couldn't move and was screaming for help.
They quickly called 911 and Dorantes was rushed to the hospital. Her family was told she had a stroke that nearly killed her.
"The doctors told my mom you brought her in just in time because she could have died," her sister says.
They say Dorantes was born with a heart murmur and tangled nerves in her brain. The stroke was caused by one of the nerves bursting, causing her brain to bleed and leading to the sudden stroke.
Initially, her family wasn't sure if she'd fully recover or if she'd be left paralyzed. Instead, Dorantes is slowly making a recovery.
She's gone through weeks of therapy and can now slowly walk and talk again.
"I was just having faith to get better and be stronger," she says.
Now, her friends at Desert Pines are rallying to help her. Dorantes is an honors student and also played in the school's mariachi band.
They're hosting a car wash at the high school Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to help the family with medical bills.
Dorantes will have to travel to a Houston for more intensive therapy.
There's also a GoFundMe page to help the family.
