UPDATE: Tyrone Calasse on the road to recovery
Calasse, General Manager of a convenience store in Hlabisa, was shot three times during a robbery in July
TYRONE Calasse is on the road to recovery and celebrated his 53rd birthday at St Augustine’s Neuro Ward on Monday.
Calasse, General Manager of a convenience store in Hlabisa, was shot three times during a robbery in July.
One bullet hit him in his left shoulder, one grazed his side and the third shot hit him in the lower part of his head.
Lynda Calasse, Tyrone’s wife, told the ZO he is capable of communicating by lifting his head when asked to do so.
‘He assists the therapists when they ask him to turn.
‘The trachy has been taken out but he still can’t talk.
‘He has been having seizures, but not of late, and according to the doctor these are a result of the head injury and the wound trying to heal.
‘We won’t know the extent of his injury until he is discharged from hospital and goes into rehab, which I really am hoping will be in the next few weeks,’ she said.
Lynda further noted that although Tyrone has lost so much weight and muscle, his fighting spirit has been truly incredible to watch.
‘As it stands, we don’t know the extent of the brain injury so only time will tell,’ she said.
ALSO READ: Local man fight for his life after attack in Hlabisa
Harrowing ordeal
On 1 July Calasse is reported to have been opening the store in the early hours of the morning.
A taxi approached and a number of suspects got out and held him up at gunpoint.
According to a source, the suspects took an undisclosed amount of money.
When Calasse took out his phone to send a message to one of the store managers notifying him of the robbery, it is believed the suspects must have seen him using his phone and shot at him.
Calasse was airlifted to St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban following the shooting, where surgeons were able to remove the bullet.
Surgeons put him into an induced coma because CT Scans revealed he had swelling in the brain which they needed to drain.
Lynda told the ZO she remains positive that her husband will fully recover.
‘I have my moments, but I’m stronger than I thought I would be.
‘It is heartbreaking to see him like this but I keep strong and with prayers from literally all over this world and most dearly with support from family and friends I am eternally grateful,’ she said.
A similar case is said to have taken place in Nkandla in which Hlabisa SAPS were trying to link the two cases together but their leads fell through.
The case of armed robbery and attempted murder is being investigated by Hlabisa SAPS.
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