We’re so proud of our Laura - we hope to have her home very soon...
PROUD DAD TELLS OF REMARKABLE RECOVERY OF TEENAGER SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ARENA BLAST
THE father of a Scottish teenager seriously injured in the Manchester attack has spoken of his pride at his daughter’s strength and determination during her recovery.
Laura MacIntyre remains in hospital in Glasgow, having been transferred there in early July following 45 days at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Now, almost three months on from the devastating blast at the Ariana Grande concert, the 15-year-old’s family are finally making plans for her to come home.
Her dad Michael MacIntyre told the M.E.N. how Laura has worked really hard with her physiotherapy, and amazed staff by hitting her weekly targets in just days.
He said: “She’s doing very well, and she’s very ahead of schedule with her recovery.
“We’re hoping to be able to get her home soon.
“Laura is very determined, she’s doing well at physio.
“They were originally setting her weekly goals but she was breaking them in just a few days, sometimes even just one day.
“Now she is getting daily goals and she’s coming on really well – she’s always done her best at everything. “We are so proud of her.” Michael says that once Laura is home, the next goal will be to get her back to high school, where she is due to enter her fourth year in September. He added: “Everyone – the hospital teams in Manchester and here in Glasgow, the police, the paramedics, the people – have all been fantastic. “But it’s Laura’s own determination which has helped her make it this far.” Laura, from the Isle of Barra, in the Outer Hebrides, had been at the Arena with her friend Eilidh MacLeod, 14, who was tragically killed in the explosion along with 21 others. The pair had travelled to Manchester with family specially for the concert. Laura suffered serious injuries to her hands and legs, but is now able to walk short distances with the aid of a moulded plastic boot on her leg. Her physio is helping her to rebuild the muscle in her legs, and she also uses a hydrotherapy pool as part of her treatment. Michael says he and his wife Nan are currently staying with Laura at the Ronald McDonald House at Glasgow hospital, which is an hour plane ride from their home on Barra, or an eight-hour trip via car and ferry. Having stayed at the Ronald Laura’s dad Michael MacIntyre McDonald House at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for six weeks before transferring to Glasgow, they said they couldn’t be more grateful to the charity and its staff.
“We are very thankful for the support they gave us throughout. It’s a fantastic charity and we didn’t have to worry about accommodation or anything. It was right by the hospital.”