School friends and teachers of Adrianna Laing at Magotty High School wore smiles and happy faces on Thursday after the 13-year-old burn victim finally returned to Jamaica following a series of life-saving surgeries in the United States.

Adrianna and her three brothers, seven-year-old twins Jayden and Jorden, and eight-year-old Adrianno, were trapped inside their Westmoreland home by a massive fire on September 4 last year. Adrianna was the lone survivor, but needed urgent care to stay alive, having received burns to more than 90 per cent of her body.

Her schoolmates at Magotty thought they would never see her alive again. To witness her miraculous return to Jamaica on Thursday brought elation to them and teachers as well. They brought her flowers and showered her with love and hugs at the Norman Manley International Airport, which appeared to bring joy to Adrianna.

Tasha-Gay Swaby-Allen, one of Adrianna’s teachers, described the teen’s return as a miracle and said she was excited and overwhelmed to be in the girl’s presence on Thursday. According to Swaby-Allen, a team has been created at Magotty High to welcome Adrianna back to the institution in a comfortable and safe way.

“The feeling is beyond expressing in any form. Having your student return to you is more than a miracle. I taught Adrianna English Language and Literature, five days per week in grade seven. She was also an athlete for my house, Orchid House.

“We have a team in place and we call it the welcome committee and we are putting things in place to finalise the exact date for her to return to school. There is a planned function for that day and the school is looking forward to this special moment,” she said.