Aimee Copeland continues to improve "laughing, smiling and mouthing "I love you," her father told "Good Morning America" on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Snellville native remains in critical condition as she battles a rare infection in an Augusta hospital.
"I believe we've had victory over death here," Andy Copeland said on GMA."And that's not something that happens every day."
The University of West Georgia graduate pyschology student contracted the bacteria – Aeromonas hydrophila – May 1 as she and friends zip-lined along the Little Tallapoosa River near Carrollton. When the homemade zip line broke, she fell six feet or so to the water and the rocks below, tearing open her calf on a stone. The bacteria entered through Copeland's wound, doctors said. Her left leg had to be amputated at the hip. Surgeons say she’s likely to lose her fingers and remaining foot.
Copeland told Good Morning America he knows the 'bittersweet' day is coming when his daughter will be strong enough to learn details of the accident.
"It's going to be sweet because she finally, we can communicate with her. But at the same time, it's going to be bitter because there will be certain things revealed to her that will be painful."
On his Facebook update late Tuesday, Andy Copeland said the family will continue to celebrate small victories. "We don’t have to see physical progress, we seem to take comfort from simple words, silly actions and quiet moments," he wrote.
He also thanked the scores of Aimee supporters and urged people to continue to donate blood. "Aimee has used 177 units of blood so far," he wrote. "And, she hasn’t used as much as many of the people in her hospital unit. Please continue to give blood. "
A second blood drive has been set for June 1 after more than 160 people showed up at the University of West Georgia campus to donate in honor of Aimee Copeland Tuesday. The blood drive June 1 also will be held on the UWG campus.
"We had 163 register yesterday with 127 donors drawn. From that, 113 good units were collected," according to Pamela Rascon, a spokeswoman for the Shepeard Community Blood Center that supplies blood to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta where Aimee Copeland is a patient.
Meanwhile the South Gwinnett Rotary Club will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at the First Baptist Church of Snellville, 2400 Main St.
Snellville Mayor Pro Tem Tom Witt said concerts set for June 15 and 16 on the Snellville town green will be fundraisers for the Copeland family. Witt said Banks and Shane will perform June 15. The June 16 act is yet to be determined. Witt said numerous local bands have offered to donate their performance.
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