As the new year begins, Theresa Pike hopes she will soon be home.

“My parents are looking forward to getting back to Powell and having their lives return back to normal,” said Erin Pike, her daughter. “If you ask my mom, all she wants is for my brother to get married and have everyone together again.”

Theresa was released from in-patient care at a Houston hospital on Saturday.

“She is SO happy to be out!” Erin wrote in an email to the Tribune on Monday.

Theresa will do a couple of weeks of out-patient therapy, and then is hoping to return to Powell at the end of January.

“She is so anxious to get home, but she knows that she has some improvements left to make,” Erin said.

Theresa hasn’t been home to Powell since November, when she left to attend the wedding of her son, Dustin Pike, and his fiancée, Heather Bogus, in Cancun, Mexico.

On the morning of the wedding, Theresa suffered a fall and massive brain hemorrhage. She was rushed to the hospital, and the wedding was indefinitely postponed.

Her family feared Theresa wouldn’t survive emergency surgery, much less ever come home to Powell.

Now, less than two months since the Nov. 14 incident, Theresa is making improvements daily and “doing great,” Erin said.

Her family has seen Theresa’s bright smile return.

“It is amazing to see how far she has come from the day of the accident in Mexico to now,” Erin said.

Theresa hurt a joint in her back from the fall, and the pain from that injury has delayed her progress, Erin said.

“The doctors and therapists pushed back her discharge date with the hope that with a couple more weeks of inpatient therapy she will make a full recovery,” she said. “They believe once the pain is managed she will progress at a much faster rate.”

Erin described the last month as “hard but encouraging” for Theresa and the family.

“We are very thankful and that is what keeps us all going,” Erin said. “My mom has such a fighting spirit and a positive attitude; she inspires us all.”

Theresa’s family, friends and supporters hope she will be able to dance at Dustin and Heather’s wedding “do-over.”

An online fundraising effort tagged “Help Theresa Dance” has raised $55,032 as of Monday to help the family with medical costs and other expenses. To donate online, visit www.gofundme.com/hmvwpk.

A two-day fundraiser is planned Feb. 7-8 in Jackson, featuring a silent auction, raffle and dinner. Wyoming Chive, an online group, is organizing the fundraiser, with all proceeds going to help the Pike family.

“My mom has her mind set on being in Jackson for the Wyoming Chive fundraiser,” Erin said.  

Theresa keeps bragging about Wyoming to all of her nurses and therapists in Houston, she added.

“We are pretty sure she has them all convinced to make a visit,” Erin said.

The family has appreciated the widespread support from the Powell community and beyond.

“We are so fortunate to be from a town like Powell and a state like Wyoming where people are so willing to rally in support of a member of their community,” Erin said. “The thoughts and well wishes from family, friends and even complete strangers have helped with the up-and-down days during this entire experience. We are endlessly grateful.”

Erin said there’s no way to express the gratitude the family feels.

Theresa enjoys reading letters and messages she has received, and she also loves talking with family and friends on FaceTime, a video telephone service, Erin said.

As the new year begins, the Pikes hope for a year of happiness and good health after “2014 didn’t end the way we had thought or planned for,” Erin said.

“However, we are so thankful to still have my mom here with us,” she said. “We couldn’t ask for much more than that.”