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SALT LAKE CITY — The family of BYU running backs coach Reno Mahe is cautiously optimistic as his young daughter began to slowly improve following an in-home accident Tuesday.
Three-year-old Elsie Mahe was removed from sedation at Primary Children's Hospital on Wednesday, meaning she is able to breathe on her own as she continues her recovery, according to family friend and spokesman Jeremy Roberts.
"We are waiting for her to wake up, and we will be able to tell more when that happens," Roberts told KSL.
The toddler remained hospitalized through Wednesday with respiratory concerns, though she was using a respirator less and remained unconscious, according to friends of the family posting to the Mahe Update public group on Facebook. Roberts said the next step family and friends are anticipating is for Elsie to regain consciousness, though it is too early to know the extent of the damage done by the accident.
"We have felt the prayers and are overwhelmed with gratitude for them and the many gifts of love, service and support that have been given," Reno Mahe said in a text message to supporters. "We love you dearly and we know that Elsie is in the Lord's hands. We know that He has a perfect plan for all of His children. We are not sure what that looks like yet for the Mahe family, but we know He loves us and we trust Him."
The toddler was flown to the hospital Tuesday with respiratory ailments after her mother Sunny reportedly found her strangling on the cord of a window blind in their Utah County home. Doctors believe that an injury such as the one sustained by Elsie Mahe will require time before they have clear answers and a full prognosis.
A GoFundMe account opened by Roberts on behalf of the Mahe family had raised more than $30,000 in donations as of Wednesday night.* Roberts reported on the GoFundMe page that Elsie Mahe was responsive to pinching and her parents' voices, and the family will know more about her condition in the next 24 hours.
Friends, family and even complete strangers have flocked to the aid of the family of the former BYU running back and women's volleyball standout. Positive messages of hope began flooding social media, from fans of BYU, Utah and the Cougars' Saturday opponent Utah State, among others.
"Family, friends, neighbors, strangers, fans, people who are not fans, Eagles; everybody has been reaching out," Roberts said. "Reno is the kind of guy who everybody loves, and I think people want to show that in some way."
Kalani Sitake and the BYU staff were among those to visit the Mahe family at Primary Children's, and even coaches from the University of Utah like Aaron Roderick and Morgan Scalley were on hand to offer their support to their former teammate and rival.
Roberts said prayers for Elsie and the family's faith is giving them hope for a recovery."It is difficult to put into words just how incredible the outpouring of love has been," Roberts told KSL. "From things as simple as a text message, to prayers and donations.
"It is this sense of community that makes Utah truly unique."
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
