Friends hopeful after woman who gave birth while in coma opens eyes

SWEETWATER, Tenn. -- A mother who gave birth while in a coma is showing signs of improvement, her friends said on their their Facebook support page.

Sharista Giles, who has been in a coma since a car accident in December, has now opened her eyes and squeezed her friend's hand, her friends said. They showed her a photo of her baby, born since the accident.

The accident happened when a friend fell asleep at the wheel on their way home from a concert, Giles' mother told ABC affiliate WATE. Giles suffered severe head trauma, and doctors gave less than a 10 percent chance of full recovery.

The 20-year-old, who was five months pregnant at the time of the accident, prematurely gave birth to her first child weeks later. The boy was nicknamed "Baby L" and was born weighing less than 2 pounds, friends said on the Facebook page. The baby is doing well and continues to grow, they said.

"The doctors were telling us there was nothing else they could do," said Beverly Giles, 49, of Madisonville, Tennessee, told ABC News. "They already gave up hope. We never gave up. She's fought this hard."

The community rallied behind the family, setting up a fundraising event and an online page to help cover medical costs.

Friends asked supporters to continue to pray for Giles' improvement.

Photos used with permission, courtesy of the Giles Family Facebook page and WATE.