With five children, 14 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and a brother visiting from Japan in August, Hasegawa has many reasons for wanting to get back on her feet again.

"We hope that her progress continues," said Robert Hasegawa, who found his mother beaten unconscious Monday afternoon in her ninth-floor Kalanihuia apartment at 1220 Aala St. "We want to be sure she knows we're there for her."

At 4:35 p.m. Tuesday, Fujie Hasegawa regained consciousness long enough to acknowledge the presence of family members. Since 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, she has been awake for longer periods, her son says.

Although she is still unable to speak, Fujie Hasegawa is alert.

"She follows us with her eyes and nods to answer questions," Robert Hasegawa said.

Fujie Hasegawa moved into the downtown senior housing project with her husband, James, and has resided at Kalanihuia for more than 25 years. After her husband died, she chose to live alone rather than move in with one of her children.

"She considered living with her children to be a burden on them," Robert Hasegawa said, "particularly if she could still manage."

Based on information provided by police, Hasegawa believes his mother was attacked on Sunday, sometime between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Fujie Hasegawa had talked to her son at about 6 p.m. and 90 minutes later, police reported that a woman attempted to access money from an automated teller machine in Salt Lake.

"It must have happened right after she hung up and it didn't take very long," Hasegawa said. "That means she was unconscious for over 18 hours before we found her."

Marks on her neck and blood on the wall might indicate that someone grabbed her and pushed her back after she opened the door, Hasegawa said.

Fujie Hasegawa's credit card was used four times. Police are trying to identify the suspect through automated teller machine videotapes.

More than $100 in cash and checks were also stolen from her apartment.

A forged check was used to purchase food items, police said.