Son on the mend, but rehab costly

Yvonne Thompson remains hopeful as her son Tharel slowly recovers after nearly losing his life five months ago. On February 11, the 28-year-old lighting technician was stabbed in the head in a bar in Reading, England, around 2 a.m. He was on holiday, arriving only four days before – his first visit to the country. […]

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Yvonne Thompson remains hopeful as her son Tharel slowly recovers after nearly losing his life five months ago.

On February 11, the 28-year-old lighting technician was stabbed in the head in a bar in Reading, England, around 2 a.m. He was on holiday, arriving only four days before – his first visit to the country.

The severe injury caused doctors to induce a coma, in which he remained for more than two weeks. He spent his birthday, March 29, in the hospital, having just started to move on his own.

Today, Tharel is learning to walk again but his mother told the DAILY NATION a lack of funds may hamper his progress.

“Tharel is still in rehab. He is using a crutch now. He was using a tripod before but he graduated to using a crutch with his right hand as he can’t use his left hand yet. I hope, once he starts walking properly, his left hand will strengthen,” she said.

However, Thompson said she could not afford to keep him in rehab much longer as the hospital bills were still looming.

“He has been in rehab for the past three months but he has to come out at month’s end. It was recommended he remain in rehab for another month or two but I just can’t afford it,” she said.

The worried mother said rehab costs around £3 000 a week while their hospital bills had climbed to £150 000. Despite this, she said her son’s progress kept her heartened.

“I am very optimistic about his progress. He has come a long way; he went through a lot of different stages but he overcame them all. To see him walking, albeit slowly, is a very good feeling. The money will come, somehow; I can only hope for the best.”

Thompson said the majority of the funds used were sourced through GoFundMe and she thanked all who donated, individuals and businesses. She appealed to the public to continue to do what they could for them.

Currently, there are two GoFundMe pages raising funds for Tharel. The main one, organised by his uncle Andrew Beckles, shows £31 122 raised of the £200 000 target. The other, organised by friend Rasharne Harris, shows £90 raised of the £5 000 target.

Thompson said GoFundMe shows the total monies gathered but not what had been spent, adding every pound had already gone into Tharel’s health care. She also made her local bank account information available in case anyone preferred that method, which is a CIBC First Caribbean chequeing account 1001198872.

“Every stumbling block so far we have overcome so I’m hopeful. Plus, I have my faith in God. It is only God that kept my son alive,” she said. (CA)

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