Family ‘full of hope’ as Tom, 73, wakes from coma that followed burglary
THE family of a 73-year-old man brutally beaten during an aggravated burglary in Co. Sligo say they are ‘full of hope’ after he awoke from a three-month coma.
Tom Niland sustained serious injuries during the burglary by in his home in the village of Skreen on January 18.
He remains in Sligo University Hospital where he is being treated for head and body injuries.
His family had considered turning off his life-support as his condition worsened. But to their great relief and astonishment, Mr Niland has regained consciousness and is now capable of reacting to questions by nodding his head.
Mr Niland, however, remains critically ill and is unable to talk or communicate. Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail, his cousin Michael Walsh said he is praying that the recent development is the start of Tom’s long road to recovery.
‘It’s a miracle that Tom has survived at all,’ he said. ‘He was sent to Galway University Hospital a few weeks ago where they tried blood plasma replacement therapy on him. It was only after he came back to Sligo that we noticed his eyes half opening. Then all of a sudden they got wider and started to move around.
‘He’s now conscious and often nods his head when I ask him a question so at least I know he’s somewhat aware. However, there’s no telling if he even knows who he is or if he understands what we’re saying to him. It’s obviously great news and we’re full of hope that he’ll keep improving,’ he said.
Mr Walsh, who visits Tom most days in hospital, said he constantly talks to him. ‘I ask him things like “Can you hear me?”, “How are you keeping?” and just general questions... The doctors don’t know if he’ll ever be back to his old self and I’m worried he has irreversible brain damage.
‘The bruising has gone off his face, but he doesn’t look like the same man in the picture. He’s also still on life support and is being fed through tubes so he has a very long way to go yet. He’s now been laying in bed for almost four months and his body is kind of wasted away... They give him physio in bed and stretch his muscles and tendons out so he doesn’t tighten up. But you do hear of people making miraculous, full recoveries so you never know he could be one of the lucky ones.’
Mr Niland was at home watching television at around 7pm on January 18 when he answered the door to a group of masked men who forced their way into his house.
He then crawled to the N59 Sligo to Ballina road where he was seen by neighbours who raised the alarm. Initially, he was able to give a brief description of what had happened to gardaí but had soon slipped into a coma.
Speaking on the near decision to disconnect Mr Niland from life support, Mr Walsh said ‘we were on the brink’. We were being told they had to do one last test... but we were at the stage of agreeing or not, but generally agreeing that they turn off the life support.
‘Now we’re at the stage where he’s quite conscious and aware of his surroundings.’
In March, three men were arrested in connection with the incident. John Clarke, 33, of Carrowkelly, Ballina, Co. Mayo, 54year-old Francis Harmon, of 10 Nephin Court, Killala Road, Ballina and John Irving, 28, of Shanwar, Foxford, Co. Mayo, were charged with aggravated burglary with a knife. They remain remanded in custody until their next court appearance.
‘It’s a miracle he survived at all’
‘We were on the brink’