HOUSTON -- A 14-year-old girl is enjoying real food for the first time after a quadruple organ transplant, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.

Doctors from Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital said Maria Mendez is able to eat real food after a lifetime of intravenous feeding through a catheter.

Maria became the first quadruple organ recipient in Houston and the fourth in the nation after a successful surgery in November, doctors said.

Officials said a team of surgeons transplanted a new liver, small bowel and two kidneys during the 14-hour operation. Maria had remained hospitalized after the operation until she was released Friday.

Maria was diagnosed with short-gut syndrome when she was 6 months old, forcing doctors to remove most of her intestine, doctors said.

Dr. Ruben Quiros said the greatest reward from the surgery was giving Maria the ability to eat real food for the first time in her life.

"I think those are the biggest rewards we have as a team," Quiros said. "Looking at this little girl smiling at us and finally being able to eat and have as normal a life as possible is what we strive for."

Maria 's relatives said she is enjoying every new food she tries. Ice cream and macaroni with cheese are her favorite foods so far.

Steven Wells, the family's minister, said the changes in Maria are amazing.

"Just to see her, already she is growing," Wells said. "She looks completely different. She has great color in her eyes. It's good to see her out of bed."

Maria 's mother, Maria Gonzales, said words cannot describe how thankful she is the doctors saved her daughter's life. She also said to the donor, "God will reward them."

The donor was a 3-year-old child from Florida. Two other people benefited from additional organs donated from the child with a heart transplant and a dual lung transplant.

More than 7,000 people are waiting for a transplant in Texas. Maria had been on the transplant wait list for more than 10 months.

April is National Donate Life Month. Those interested in learning more about organ donation can visit LifeGift for more information.