North Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - Four months after receiving a life-saving liver transplant, 17-year-old Meredith Roberts returned to North Tonawanda High School on Thursday.
"I'm very, very excited," Meredith told WBEN on Thursday morning.
"It's almost like the first day of kindergarten all over again," said her mom
Sara Roberts.
Meredith just wants to get back to normal and be with her friends during her senior year.
"It's been a long, long road," she said.
It was Nov. 4 of last year when Meredith noticed her skin and eyes turning yellow. She and her family spent months in Pittsburgh for a liver transplant and recovery.
The transplant may be over, but the transplant journey will continue for her
entire life. Meredith has lab work every week, along with multiple therapies.
"The transplant is over, but we're still in recovery. It's a long process," added Sara. "We're taking it day-by-day."
Meredith is swimming again for North Tonawanda. She got back in the pool seven weeks after the transplant. She is on track to graduate in June.
The support the family received from the community has been overwhelming.
"It was insane and wonderful," said Meredith. "Every single person who thought about me and prayed for me during the entire time."
Sara said it truly carried them through.
"We said if this had happened 20 years ago, before social media and cell phones and we couldn't spread the word, we would have felt very alone in this," she said. "But we felt so incredibly supported by so many people. We felt so much love from our community. We will be forever grateful."