Attacked US tourist learns to walk again after seizure
Injured Stephen had emergency spinal surgery for slipped disc
ASSAULT SURVIVOR
For me I just want to be back there to live out the rest of my days STEPHEN TERMINI ON PLANS TO LIVE IN IRELAND
THE US tourist attacked last year has said he’s learning to walk again after a recent seizure.
Stephen Termini, whose story sparked outrage, revealed he was again hospitalised this month after a health episode that’s now left him wheelchair bound.
He said: “I was driving on my way to work and I just pulled in at a Burger King drive through and had a seizure.
“I ended up in an ambulance and when I got into the hospital I was told one of my discs in my spine went off kilter and they had to do emergency surgery.”
Stephen, who spent weeks in a coma in Ireland following the assault in Talbot Street, Dublin, was on the road to recovery, but said he’s learning to walk all over again. He added: “They put rods and pins in my spine and I haven’t been able to walk and to get out of bed has been excruciating pain.
“I’m still hoping I can get back on my feet and get back to work soon so I can save up and come back to Ireland.
“One thing I want the Irish people to know is I don’t have any ill feelings towards the country.
“For me I just want to be back there to live out the rest of my days.
“I’m an honest, hard-working man and that’s all I want to do over there.
“The people in Ireland are just amazing people as opposed to the people in the United States.
“No, they are the best. They enjoy life and that’s all I want to do too.”
Stephen also told he has changed his surname to an Irish one, which we are not revealing as he has his reasons for picking it.
He added: “I just want to get back to work to save my money to get back to Ireland.
“I changed my last name and everything because my great grandmother came from Newport Ireland and died here.
“So I legally changed my name to reflect that.”
Last month, a court heard Stephen suffered “five life-threatening injuries” when he was attacked by three youths on the night of July 19.
The defendants, then aged 14, 15 and 16, who cannot be named as they are minors, are accused of violent disorder and causing serious harm to Stephen, who is New York. The Children’s Court heard on March 26 the Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended trial on indictment, meaning the case should go to the Circuit Court, which has more sentencing powers.
Stephen was first treated in the Mater Hospital, where doctors carried out an emergency sight-saving procedure before transferring him to Beaumont Hospital’s intensive care unit for 14 days.
He remained on a ventilator for two days, and stayed in intensive care for two weeks before being moved back to the Mater for further rehabilitative treatment until the end of August.