LORANGER, La. - For the Brinks, Thanksgiving has always been a family affair, but this year, they're especially thankful to have their daughter Avery at the table.
On Sept. 8, 6-year-old Avery Brink was rushed to Children's Hospital in New Orleans. Her parents feared for the worst.
"We prayed to God, and He listened," said Avery's father, Jason Brink. "But it got severe pretty quickly and it stopped her heart a few times, about four times."
"Your whole life changes, it's just a nightmare," said Avery's mother Carmen Brink. "You're completely helpless, it was out of my hands at that point."
Since that day, Avery has battled through Pneumonia. She's had multiple surgeries and tests, at one point she dealt with heart failure. However, her parents say the scariest part was not knowing what tomorrow would bring.
"You have to pretty much say goodbye every time she'd go into surgery," Jason said. "It was a matter of life and death and she was on death's door quite a few times."
It wasn't until a risky surgery, while she was on life support, that Avery began to improve.
"It was an unbelievable situation," her father said. "He had to do a surgery to remove the right lower lobe of her lung. The doctor came out and told us she was still alive. At the same time he didn't know what he had done. He was in tears because he didn't know if she was going to make it. But God worked through his hands and in a few hours she was stable."
"Later we found out she has Chronic Granulomatous Disease," Avery's mother said. "It's an auto-immune deficiency. We didn't know this at the time, but that's why her body couldn't fight the bacteria, that's why she got Pneumonia."
Avery, is now well enough to be at home, which means this Thanksgiving everyone is all smiles.
"She's doing wonderful right now," Carmen said. "She's a miracle."
"She's happy and doing well and smiling and living life like she used to do before going into the hospital," Jason said. "It's all we can ask for."
That includes Avery, who says she has so many favorite parts to Thanksgiving.
"When we ride our bikes and eat turkey," she said.
So this year, as the entire family sits around the table to give thanks, there's one thing they're all grateful for.
"Our family being together," Carmen said.
"Most thankful God let Avery live, that's it. Thankful for life," said her father, Jason.
Avery has a long road to recovery, with physical therapy once a week and multiple doctor visits. You can follow her progress on the Facebook Page: Prayers for Avery.
Her parents also say they are thankful for the doctors and staff at the Children's Hospital and for the family, friends, and community who've reached out to their family.