Teen Hospital Mix-Up Victim Speaks for First Time

Aug. 27, 2010 — -- Weeks ago, Abby Guerra's parents were told their daughter was dead in a tragic hospital mix-up, but the very much alive teen is speaking with her parents today and, five brain surgeries later, is slowly recovering from the car accident that nearly took her life.

"Hi Tia, hi Tia, hi Alma," Guerra said referring to her aunt, according to a cell phone recording her family made. The 19-year-old said "Hi" for the first time last week.

The words were the "greatest thing ever happen to my life," her father, Sergio Guerra, said.

They were also the latest high spot in an emotional roller coaster for her family that has lasted for weeks and began when officials told them the young woman had died.

Guerra was heading home to Phoenix, Ariz., July 18 with four friends from a trip to Disneyland when a tire blew out and the car flipped.

Police reported that Guerra's best friend, Marlena Cantu, was one of three survivors in critical condition. They broke the news to Guerra's mother, Maria, that her daughter had been thrown from the vehicle and killed.

For five days the family mourned and began planning Guerra's funeral.

"It would be different if I chose her wedding dress," Maria Guerra said in a "Good Morning America" report that aired today. "But I had to choose the dress that she's going to be cremated in. It's hard. I don't wish this for anybody in the world."

Her father had to sign papers for the funeral.

"That was, that was, horrible," he said. "Because it's hard to sign a paper to let go part of your life. And, Abby is my life -- is not part of my life -- Abby is my life."

Meanwhile, the Cantu family was holding vigil at the hospital over who they thought was their daughter.

But, on July 24, both families were given shocking news. There had been a mix-up. Cantu had perished in the crash and Guerra was alive and fighting for her life in the hospital. Her injuries were so severe that no one visiting Cantu, from friends to family, had noticed it was not her.

Guerra said that when she saw her daughter in bandages, she had no doubt it was her.

"I said, 'Finally, we find you. I mean, we can see you and you're alive,'" she said.