Aaron Stidd, the student critically injured after being hit by an allegedly drunken driver in October, reintroduced himself to his parents and the world at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

During an afternoon therapy session at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital, Aaron's mother, Connie, prompted him to say "Hi Mom." In response, Aaron pulled himself up on one arm, grabbed her face, looked her "dead in the eye" and said the word "Mom" for the first time in more than three months, his father, Jay, said.

Jay said although Aaron didn't say "Hi Mom" as he had been prompted, his message was unequivocal.

"It was clear, it was distinct," Jay said. "Two other therapists heard it -- there was no doubt about what he said."

Aaron is the surviving student who was hit by an allegedly drunken driver Oct. 28. Police said Penn State junior Anthony Torsell, of Bellefonte, was driving southbound on South Atherton Street when he struck Stidd, 21, and Richard Smith, 21, who were crossing the street westbound. Smith died at Mount Nittany Medical Center that night.

At Torsell's preliminary hearing, State College police officer David Scicchitano, who reconstructed the accident, testified that the main

causes for the accident were Torsell's high rate of speed as well as his impaired judgment due to alcohol. Torsell's blood alcohol content was .242, police said.

Torsell was bound over for trial on charges of DUI, homicide by vehicle while DUI and aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI.

As a part of his speech therapy since the accident, Aaron has been learning to swallow and attempting to speak. Until this point, his attempts to verbalize had only produced a wheezing sound of forced air over his vocal cords, Jay said.

His parents, while always looking forward in the rehabilitation process, were ecstatic with the development.

"We just view that as a real good sign," Jay said. "We're not sure when he's going to repeat more language."

Jay has said Aaron had a setback a month after the accident, when he experienced some trouble while being weaned off a ventilator at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, but has not had another setback since.

"It was a nightmare, but they saved his life," Connie said.

While Aaron's progress can be inconsistent, his "score," as determined by his team of three doctors, has increased by at least one point each week at Bryn Mawr.

"It's frustrating," Jay has said. "You have that one good day and you hold onto it and suffer through the next five or six."