On the morning of November 14th, significant other and I were awakened in the wee hours in Phoenix by a phone call from an Emergency Room in Chicago. Her son was there. He had been stabbed multiple times.
We diverted to Chicago. By the time we got there, the brilliant surgeons at Illinois Masonic Medical Center – one of four Level I trauma hospitals in the city – had done their magic. The attacker’s blade had pierced both spleen and diaphragm. He had lost so much blood the paramedics thought they were going to lose him in the ambulance, but new glue-like technology allowed the medicos to stanch the hemorrhage from the spleen without removing the organ. (My surgeon friends have long told me that trying to sew up solid abdominal viscera, liver or spleen, is like trying to suture Jello. You can live without your spleen, but your quality of life goes down thereafter.) They pretty much had to disembowel him to do the reconstruction and then re-pack everything into an incision that went from sternum to pubis, but they put him back together pretty damn well.
He went home last night, after eight days in what has – rightfully, I have to attest – been named one of the best hospitals in the United States. Being necessarily disassembled and reassembled in this fashion caused a “shock to the bowels” and it took a while for the digestive system to get back up and running. The young man is looking at eight weeks of serious convalescence, and probably 18 months to two years before he gets back to normal.
The attack took place outside an upscale restaurant/tavern in a nice neighborhood on the Northwest Side. So much for the shibboleth that “if you just stay away from bad places, nothing bad will ever happen to you.” Of course, in Chicago, ordinary people aren’t allowed carry anything to defend themselves against a lethal weapon assault.
Given Chicago’s level of violent crime today, the city’s undermanned, underequipped, and overburdened police department is doing a good job with the investigation. They believe they’ve identified the suspect. I anticipate an arrest soon.
A week at that hospital with the victim’s mom makes me (and the mom, and the victim’s lovely young wife, and their three fine sons) a little more in tune with the national Giving of Thanks that is scheduled this week. It ain’t just about turkey and cranberry sauce, is it?
I wish all of you reading this a wonderful Thanksgiving week. Don’t let celebration get in the way of remembering the name, and the meaning, of the holiday.
I can only tell you that on this end, we have much to give thanks for this coming Thursday.
Mas,
A stark reminder that there is evil in the world and that we must be vigilant at all times. So sorry to hear of this terrible event but happy to hear of the good prognosis.
Happy thanksgiving to you and yours.
Mousegun Mike
Mas,
I heard about this through Armed American Radio. So sorry that this happened. I agree with many that we are very thankful to hear that he will recover. He and family will be in our prayers.
No one should have to go through this. It is unfortunate that Chicago does not understand our rights as humans to defend ourselves. It looks like we are (thankfully) on our way to changing that.
God bless you.
Dear Mas:
My condolences for what happened, and my best wishes for a speedy recovery. We all know this stuff goes on (few more than you) but it’s all the more maddening when it strikes “close to home.”
Best wishes to your son, your significant other, and you.
Carl (one of the Midwest guys)
The more fools we have in office that fail to address the problem of crime, especially gang activity, the more of this we will see. Case in point, the City of Portland’s “experts” that failed to pass logic 101. These people say most gun owners agree with their “safety” measures that are nothing more than a stealing of God-given liberties. This kind of violence, often times just for the sake of violence needs a sure and swift response. I call that, “progress”.
When we fail to understand that ultimately, crime is a failure to submit to God and His ways, people will continue to become more debase. As William Penn said, “Those people who are not governed by God will be ruled by the bayonet.”
It’s difficult to know what to add to the comments, though some sort of comment seems required. What a hellish experience, all way around.
The horrible thing is that this experience may lead some Chicagoans to work even harder to maintain their anti-gun laws and ordinances. They’ll think, “Look at this example of the violence and crime in our city – we must do even more to keep guns out of the hands of these thugs.” I just don’t know how to change some minds.
Dear Massad,
I am so sorry this happened, but as you are, so thankful he survived.
I am including my normal, personal,. school e-mail in the e-mail section (I normally just put my 45stayalive@… there). I am doing this because you have done much for me and my family with what you’ve written in your books and articles. My wife and I are both returning students in Chicago, seeking to become Physicians (she’s just finished a second Bachelor degree in Biochemistry and in the midst of applying to the Med Schools, and I am studying Biomedical Engineering).
I’ve included my school e-mail address, because if there is anything I can do – errands for the young man and/or his family – anything at all – please do not hesitate to contact me. I live on the North Side and I’m sure within convenient distance to the family.
Though I personally tend to be pretty conservative regarding the need of therapeutic help and counseling (and even more conservative regarding recommending such help to others), in my opinion, this young man is going to need some (a LOT of) therapy, perhaps from a religious source, or from a secular source (clinical psychologist or similar). I’m sure I’m “preaching to the choir” here, but as you well know, there’s going to be a major PTSD situation here as he deals with what happened to him. To be a victim of such an attack does horrible things to the mind and soul.
Again, please let me know if I can be of help in any way – that includes anything from informal protection (a person in a parked car outside the door with a cellphone, among other things, would make for a great safety net) to simply picking up groceries for the family.
Sincerely,
John
Thanks be to God for his survival. I, too, hope for a speedy and a full recovery for him. I’m glad you were able to get to him quickly.
As for the dipstick with the knife, I can’t say. Jail is too good a deal for him. Maybe he’ll run into someone who refuses to obey unconstitutional laws and get himself shot.
I live in Illinois; by and large I obey the disarmed citizen laws, but when I go to Chicago I turn criminal. My Austrian friend is never far from a hand.
Mas and Gail:
There’s not much more I can say that hasn’t been said already, but I’m so sorry to hear about this painful tragedy that has struck your family. I have prayed for Gail’s son and will continue to do so. No doubt this experience will drive all of you closer together, and closer to God, and perhaps inspire you to even more strongly challenge the idiotic restrictions on self-protection that have been imposed by small-minded, semi-insane, hypocritical political hacks like Daley and others.
I hope the recovery is speedy and smooth.
Gail & Mas,
We are so very sorry to hear of this. Our prayers for a speedy recovery for Gail’s son.
Frank & Susan Wiles
Best wishes, Mas, for his quick and complete recovery. My wife Yeonhee and I met you at the Friends of NRA Dinner in Orlando last August.
Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes and outpouring of support. He is recovering well, and building up his strength. It has been hard on all of us, but the most difficult on his wife and kids who realize that they almost lost him. So thanks again and I hope you all have a great holiday season.
Gail
Just out of curiosity,what would be the result of a otherwise model citizen if he carried concealed in Chicago and had to discharge his weapon in self defense ? Just sayin,on any normal day who would be the wiser ? Glad to hear that the young man is recovering well. Thanks Mass,your blog is only one I follow.
My prayers go out to you and Gail during this difficult time. Having read several of your books, I was thrilled to meet you and Gail at the Indiana match this year and equally horrified to hear of this happening to her son. All my hopes that he has a quick recovery and that he experiences a full recovery quickly.
So glad to hear that he is recovering well. All of us here at Sand Burr Gun Ranch are keeping you and yours in our thoughts. If there is anything we can do for any of ya, just let us know! Thanksgiving is truely about giving thanks. The first thankgiving feast was not turkey by the way, they ate goose, lobster and venison. I think that is a tradition worth revisiting. Once again we are so happy that everyone in healing well, take care.
Ashley & Austin Gibbons
Denny & Cindy Reichard
Wow…just read this. So glad to hear that he is recuperating. It’s a wake up call to count our blessings.
– Jason
I feel badly for you. I know people look to you when something like this happens, it must leave you with a very empty and helpless feeling. Please know my thoughts are with you.
An arrest has been made in the case, and the victim is on his way to recovering from this near-death experience.
He, his family, and his extended family thank you all from the bottom of their collective heart for the kindness and compassion you have shown here.
When the matter is adjudicated, I’ll post an update here.
Appreciatively,
Mas
Mas, for various technical reasons I have only just been able to access your blog.
I am very sorry to hear about the attack Gail’s son, and I am very glad to hear that he survived and is on the way to making a full cover.
God bless him and his family.
I hope that this arrest leads to the perptrator being brought to justice.