Community prays for Lexi's family

We have been following the tragic story of little Lexi Antorino since we got a tip Sunday afternoon about her swing-set accident at Palmetto Pointe. As reporter Maura Possley reported in the Herald today and in an online update, the 2-year-old girl remains in a coma in the intensive care unit of All Children's Hospital, surrounded by family and friends hoping for a miracle.

I watched the online comments from readers attached to the stories Monday and today, almost dreading what I might find. Too often, it seems those anonymous message boards are mistaken as an invitation to spew gripes and ugly retorts.

Instead, we are reading notes from a community expressing its grief and hope for Lexi and her family. Messages of faith and encouragement have filled page after page. Most of all, many are praying for that miracle.

Trust God..... He is right beside your little girl every minute..My prayers are with you.

Bless her little heart, we all are hoping and praying that she fully recovers. I hope the media is going to keep the public updated on her progress so we will all know.

One comment did manage to suggest legal action, but they were quickly rebuked:

To the commenter "EMS" shame on you for suggesting legal action at this time. The poor family is dealing with a horrific tragedy and all you can tell them is to get a good attorney? Where is your heart?

All these messages should give us hope. Though we wish it didn’t take a tragedy to pull the community together, there is much goodness out there. This poignant posting, which one of my reporters interpreted for me, sums up the thoughts expressed throughout:

Que dios te quide nina

May the Lord keep you, child.

-- Joan