CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Meliena Pillai has cerebral palsy.
"Meliena got bacteria meningitis when she was five weeks old and had three stokes and that's how she became the way she is now," her mom said.
The 12-year-old girl hasn’t been able to see her Chihuahua, Mini, her former teacher, her former nurse or her childhood bedroom for almost two years. Because of her condition, she’s been living at a the Bernardy Center for Medically Fragile Children at Rady Children's Hospital.
Every year, the hospital and AMR work together to give someone a special trip home for the holidays.
This year, they picked Meliena. She only lives about 30 minutes away from the hospital, but hasn't been to come home. Meliena's mom, Janesse Pillai, says her daughter and Mini have grown up together and that this might be Meliena's last Christmas.
"Honestly she's going down hill a lot," Janesse said.
Meliena had to go back to the hospital after a few hours.
News 8 was there for the heartfelt reunion. When Mini saw Meliena, she sat on her lap and kissed her face.:
"Seeing her dog mini getting excited, its just unreal," said Meliena's uncle, Jimmy Ramirez.
Meliena is also a Make-A-Wish recipient. Her wish was to meet the cast of Spongebob Squarepants.
Meliena is Janesse's only child.
"It's to the point now where I'm okay with the fact that she lets go," said Janesse. "Just because someone is not here physically, doesn't mean they are still not here with you."