Baby Ayla Collins to spend her first Christmas surrounded by family in Canada

The orphaned daughter of Jerry Collins and Alana Madill will spend this Christmas surrounded by her family.

Little Ayla Collins will spend her first Christmas with her maternal grandparents and her aunts, uncles and cousins in Canada.

Darrell and Ruth Madill have looked after the eight-month-old baby since the former All Black and his partner daughter were killed in a car crash in France on June 5. 

The baby, who was only 10 weeks old at the time, survived the car crash with critical head injuries. She flew to Canada in July.

Darrell Madill said that Ayla will spend Christmas at her aunt Nora's home in Regina. The Collins family will not attend this year, but they plan to share Christmas together in the future. 

Ayla will receive a Peppa Pig soft toy and clothes and toys from family.

"The pig, it talks," he told the New Zealand Herald.  

"It's all the rage with my little granddaughters. And she'll be getting clothes and toys. She has quite a bit of stuff because so many people have given her tons of clothes. And the Collins family, when they came over, they brought toys."

At the time of the accident, the doctors said Ayla would likely suffer ongoing disabilities as a result of the injury.  

Darren said the youngest of his four grandchildren was making small improvements day by day. 

"She's recovered from a lot of her injuries. She talks in the baby way and plays with toys. Just normal things. I would say with time we'll know if she will overcome all of her brain trauma, but we're optimistic ... she's very alert. I think she's gonna do fine."

     

Author: 
Stuff.co