After more than a month, a local principal’s daughter is home following traumatic injuries suffered in a Hawaii car crash.

The afternoon of Aug. 4, River Bluff High School Principal Jacob Smith and his family welcomed home his 18-year-old daughter Bekah for the first time since the accident. After undergoing surgery to stabilize fractured vertebrae suffered in the wreck that occurred June 28 on the big island of Hawaii, Bekah was transported to the Shepherd Center Foundation Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program in Atlanta July 14.

The family and River Bluff High arranged a “Welcome Home” drive-through going through the school and concluding at the family’s residence in Saluda River Club. What looked to be about 200 students, teachers and members of the community gathered, many holding signs expressing their happiness at her return.

“It’s humbling, it’s maybe a testimony of 20 years of our life of service, of trying to love on others and care for others,” Smith said of the support his family has received through this trying time.

“The support has been breathtaking. It has been beautiful. It's been overwhelming and we have such tremendous gratitude for the love that has poured on to our family. It's hard to explain the words, but it's a beautiful thing. It is extremely comforting in a time where you need comfort.”

Principal Smith was driving an SUV with his wife and three children on board June 28 when the vehicle apparently hydroplaned, according to the Hawaii Police Department, colliding with an oncoming vehicle. Bekah was seriously hurt in the crash, suffering a C1 vertebral fracture and a brain injury and was airlifted to Queens Medical Center on Oahu.

All of the family sustained injuries, with 15-year-old Banks being the only other member to require surgery. 

The principal told the Chronicle that Bekah has made great strides in the last five weeks, adding that his daughter is doing more than just surviving, she is thriving. She will only be home for a week before heading back to the Shepherd Center to undergo an outpatient program.

“It's absolutely a mixture of emotions. It's been a long time since she's been home,” Jacob said, speaking on his daughter's return. “And the time that we have been gone has been filled with just just so much trial and tribulation and unknowns and so to have her back in her home, in her bed, with her community, just brings tremendous comfort and jubilation and joy and celebration.”

“It's just a mixture of beautiful emotions, but mostly joy, thankfulness and gratitude,” he added.

The principal said the experience has brought the family closer together and closer to their friends and faith in Christ, the latter of which he called a rock and a comfort without which they would be “a shell of ourselves.”

“Our faith is central to what we are as a family.” He said “ It's who we are. It's how we live life. It's not something we just do on Sunday. So it has been and will remain our solid foundation.”