Parents of Aurora miracle baby prepare for shooting anniversary
(CBS News) DENVER -- One year ago this Saturday, a gunman opened fire in a Colorado movie theater, killing 12 people.
Of the 70 others who were injured, none came closer to death than Caleb Medley. But he is now 24 years old and alive, and for that, his wife gives a lot of credit to a blessing from above.
Hugo Medley turns one next week. He just started walking, but for almost a year, he's been helping his mother, Katie, move forward.
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"I don't think I could have done it without Hugo, for sure," said Medley.
Katie Medley was nine months pregnant when she and her husband, Caleb, went to the midnight movie that turned into a slaughter. Caleb was shot in the head.
He was in a coma in the same hospital where Hugo was born four days later. That's when we first met Katie.
"I always think no matter what happens to Caleb I have a piece of him with me, I have a piece of him right here and that gives me strength too," said Medley, in an interview with CBS News in July 2012.
Caleb remained in a coma for two months.
"Back in the ICU when he first started to open his eyes and look around, the one thing he would watch more than anything else was Hugo," said Medley.
Caleb's been back home for six months where he has therapy almost daily to regain his speech and learn to walk again.
He wants to one day walk holding Hugo's hand.
"Yes, he'll do it, I believe it. If anyone can do it, Caleb can do it," said Medley.
Her husband has managed to attend a court appearance by the accused shooter, James Holmes. Katie said it was important to Caleb to attend one of the hearings.
"I think it was just empowering for him to feel like, 'I can get out there and face the person that did this to me,'" said Medley.
Katie said the anniversary of the shooting brings a lot of emotions.
"Partly it's sadness because you know, you wish we could go back and just be the way it was for one day," said Medley.
"I'd take just one day. The day before was the best day ever with Caleb." said Medley. "He's a lot himself, don't get me wrong, but some days I wish he would just get up and say something he would say before."
But Caleb has no trouble calling his son's name and he does that often.
"When it was tough everyone was like, 'Let me hold Hugo!' because you look at him and you're like, 'How can new life be bad?' and, 'Everything's going to be OK because Hugo is here,'" said Medley.
Hugo seems nothing less than a small miracle who arrived exactly when he was needed most.
