Fri., Sept. 12 started out as a beautiful day for Moorpark resident Aurora Prieto and her daughter Laura, who lives in a home for people with special needs in Granada Hills.

The two women, who relied on the train to get together and visit places, spent the day on Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles before boarding Metrolink train 111 to spend the night at Aurora's house in Moorpark. They didn't know their routine would be interrupted by a traumatic accident.

Both women were injured when the commuter train collided with a Union Pacific freight train that evening. Their injuries, which include a serious concussion for Aurora and a broken rib for Laura, are healing, but the emotional trauma lingers, said Prieto's son Ed Ramirez, who took a leave of absence from his job in the transportation industry to take care of his mother.

There were 225 passengers on the train that day. Twentyfive people died in the accident, and 134 were injured.

The crash happened next to the sports fields of Chatsworth Hills Academy, where Pam Green works. The teacher said she and several other employees from the school rushed to the scene to provide basic first aid to passengers and direct emergency vehicles.

That's when Green met the Prietos.

"I noticed Laura sitting in her wheelchair amongst the injured people near the train. Everyone was being attended to except her, so I wanted to make sure she was okay," Green said.

Communicating with Laura Prieto was challenging at first because cerebral palsy makes her speech difficult to understand, but Green said she got better at it as the night wore on.

"My role in all this was helping Laura get connected with her family the day of the accident," said Green, adding that Laura's mother was lying next to her.

Contacting the family

Another person who was assisting at the scene spoke with Aurora Prieto in Spanish in an attempt to find her cellphone so she could contact the victims' relatives.

Aurora's phone was found intact on the floor of the train, said Green, who then went through the recent call list and asked Laura about each name listed before she began making calls.

"On the day of the accident my sister Lupe received a phone call from Pam Green, who explained what had happened," said Ramirez. He said two of his siblings drove to Chatsworth to meet up with his mother and sister.

Once they arrived the two adult children were told that their mother had been taken to the hospital, but they didn't find out where until about 11 p.m.

"Imagine watching the news and deaths are being reported. The pain we suffered is not wished upon a human being," Ramirez said.

Aurora Prieto was hospitalized for two weeks. She was released to the care of Ramirez.

Ramirez is the youngest of five children; he is in charge of taking care of his mother.

"I think it makes him special and wonderful," Green said.

Life has changed for the family in the past 10 weeks.

Coping with the aftermath

"Before the accident, my mom was doing housecleaning. She lived in Moorpark for three years, renting a room, and would bring Laura down to spend the night, but everything changed after the disaster happened," Ramirez said.

Aurora Prieto had to move out of her Moorpark home because she couldn't earn a living. She and her son Ed stayed in a motel for a few days until they found a temporary apartment in Simi Valley.

"She spends most of the day in bed, depressed and in pain. She's also afraid to go to sleep," said Ramirez. He wants to find a bilingual psychologist to help his mother deal with posttraumatic stress symptoms.

The accident has kept Aurora and Laura separated, which is hard on both of them. Aurora still tries to spend weekends with her daughter, but it's difficult because special transportation that can accommodate wheelchairs is hard to find.

"Laura wants to be with mom now more than ever, and mom wants to be with Laura, but the train took that away from them," Ramirez said.

The family also struggles with medical bills since Aurora doesn't have medical insurance, said Ramirez. He's been using cash to pay for her follow-up visits at the doctor's office.

Sources of help

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority, which manages Metrolink, purchased a new wheelchair for Laura Prieto, and the rail company has provided some money to help the family, but this won't cover long-term needs, said Ramirez.

According to Francisco Oaxaca, a spokesperson for Metrolink, the rail company stands by the families of those who died on Sept. 12 as well as those who survived, working to assist them in every way possible.

"Metrolink has already provided financial assistance as well as other help and will continue to work with the Prietos during this difficult time, as we are working with all of those affected by the Sept. 12 train collision," Oaxaca said.

"Metrolink and its insurers will evaluate each individual's unique situation and work with them to arrive at a fair and equitable resolution."

Several local organizations, such as the Simi Valley Community Foundation managed by the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Train Victims Benefit Fund established by the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce, are also working to help victims.

The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce established a fund to help Aurora and Laura Prieto. To donate, e-mail murpin @simivalleychamber.org or call (805) 520-8222.

"Anybody that wants to send money to the Prieto family can send a check to the Simi Valley Community Foundation, and they must specify that it's for the Prieto family," said Maggie Urpin of the Simi Valley Chamber. Donations are tax-free and 100 percent of the money goes to the victims, she said.

Those who prefer to donate money to the general fund should address their check to the Simi Valley Community Foundation/Metrolink Fund.

Victims who have not yet contacted the foundation are invited to do so if they need assistance, Urpin said.