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Jamie Lynn Spears’ daughter Maddie was in a coma for two days after a 2017 ATV accident but made a miraculous recovery
Maddie plans to study health sciences and play softball at the University of Southern Mississippi this fall
Maddie hopes to become a pediatrician after surviving her own health crisis as a child
Jamie Lynn Spears‘ 18-year-old daughter Maddie has come a long way since she nearly lost her life in an ATV accident at age 8.
In 2017, Maddie was driving her ATV when she took a sharp turn and ended up underwater in the pond on her family’s property in Fluker, La.
“We were watching her, and we still don’t quite know if she was dodging a dog or what it was,” Jamie Lynn, 35, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, on newsstands now. “She went in the water and me, my father-in-law and my husband [Jamie Watson] ran as fast as we could to go jump in to get her out, but she was stuck under the ATV.”
In the meantime, Jamie Lynn’s mother-in-law called 911, and the ambulance arrived in minutes to help free Maddie. Airlifted to a hospital, Maddie — whom Jamie Lynn welcomed at age 17 in 2008 with her then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge — was in a coma for two days, and a priest was called to administer last rites.
“He comes in, and she physically sits up in all her restraints and tubes,” Jamie Lynn remembers. “I’m screaming for the doctors, like, ‘Come in here now!’ Even the priest was like, ‘I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening.’ I knew she was in there and felt all of us praying. We were given a miracle, and I don’t take it for granted.”
Jamie Lynn Spears and her daughter Maddie by the pond where Maddie’s ATV accident occurred
Credit: Cedric Angeles
While Maddie doesn’t remember the accident, “I feel like our faith got a lot stronger,” she says. “In the end, I think such a negative experience affected us positively.”
Jamie Lynn — who married Watson, 45, in 2014 and welcomed a second daughter, Ivey, 8, in 2018 — says they are “beyond blessed” that Maddie made a full recovery.
“I just was so happy to have her, but how in the world did God give her back?” she asks. “And then He gave her back in a way that she’s succeeding, she’s beautiful, she’s kind, she’s smart…I feel like I don’t get to ask for anything else in life because I got the biggest blessing.”
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Maddie is now preparing to leave home to study health sciences and play softball at the University of Southern Mississippi in August.
“It’s definitely going to be an adjustment being away from home, but I’m very excited to play softball and be on my own,” Maddie says.
Jamie Lynn Spears and her daughter Maddie at home in Fluker, La
Credit: Cedric Angeles
With Jamie Lynn and Watson’s support, Maddie dreams of one day playing in the Women’s College World Series.
“Jamie is the reason I really started to love softball,” Maddie says. “He has coached me for as long as I can remember. I was literally the worst one on the team when I was little! I just kind of fell in love with working.”
And after surviving her own health crisis, Maddie wants to help other kids one day.
“Hopefully I’ll end up going to medical school and end up being a pediatrician,” she says. “That’s what I really want to do.”
Jamie Lynn adds Maddie “would be a great pediatrician…My daughter’s a doctor! It’s really cool. She’s giving me something to brag about.”
Jamie Lynn Spears and daughter Maddie at home in Fluker, La
Credit: Cedric Angeles
For now, the Watsons are fitting in as many final softball practices, movie nights and games of Scrabble as they can.
“I’m so proud of her and everything she’s done, but I also cry in the car because I’m not going to have my baby home every day,” says Jamie Lynn, adding, “She’s always going to be my baby.”
For more from Jamie Lynn Spears and her daughter Maddie, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE on newsstands everywhere now.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source nz.news.yahoo.com ’
