The holiday season was always special for Queena.
"She was the gift wrapper, she was the cooker, she put up the Christmas tree, she loved shopping!," said her sister, Anna Vuong.
On April 24, 2008 that all changed.
Queena was a high school senior with a full academic scholarship to the University of Florida when she was raped, beaten and left for dead outside the Bloomingdale Regional Library.
Doctors gave her a 10% chance of survival but Anna said she's a fighter.
"It's very hard to suffer something traumatic and recover. It's hard to suffer and then it's it's very easy to give up but if you don't give up then it's hard and you have to keep going."
Since the attack, Queena's family has provided round-the-clock care.
"We look at our job now is to get Queena better and to be an example for others," said Anna.
She said Queena does numerous physical and occupational therapies every day and she's making progress.
"She's been standing, she's been eating, she's holding her head up, she's tracking things. She's more verbal, more comprehensive and she's just on the right road. She's healing every day," she said.
However, Anna said the therapy is expensive. The family estimates it costs about $70,000 a year and Medicaid only covers a small portion of that. They rely on fundraisers and donations to make up the difference.
"Just one small thing from one person can dramatically help another," said Anna. "Even though something so terrible happened, some good can still come from it."
The family is planning a Holiday Shopping fair to raise money for Queena's treatments and celebrate her favorite activity.
They said when she was in the hospital recuperating, a nurse would come in and talk to her about shopping.
"She would talk about the brands she loved and the stores and Queena would light up and she would smile and it was one of the first times that we had seen her smile since the attack was when someone was talking about shopping," said Anna.
Queena's Holiday Shopping Fair will be held Saturday, December 13th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Winthrop Town Centre, 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview. The event will include about 50 vendors, live music, gift wrapping, hot cocoa and a silent auction.
Anna said it's the kind of event her sister loves.
"She just choses to be happy and inspirational and she just wants to keep going. She's not going to let it get her down. She's not going to sulk and retreat from the community and from her family."
She said they've seen improvement in Queena's condition in the last few months and they're hopeful for the future.
"Of course, we're praying for 100% recovery one day but for right now, it's a little step at a time," said Anna "Our family has learned never to judge a book by its cover, everyone's got their own story and everyone is incredible in their own way."
The family said during the holiday season they plan to celebrate all they still have.
"I was always her big sister and she was my little shadow," said Anna. "She looked at her as her protector. We were so close. We still are."
The family is still looking for vendors for Queena's Holiday Shopping Fair as well as items to include in the silent auction.