Mark MacLean was left critically injured after a brutal beating, allegedly by a group of boy racers, earlier this month. Photo / Supplied
Mark MacLean was left critically injured after a brutal beating, allegedly by a group of boy racers, earlier this month. Photo / Supplied
A man who was placed in an induced coma after an alleged altercation with a group of street racers has been transferred out of critical care, is breathing on his own and is now able to mumble.
And despite Mark Maclean’s significant progress, he is preparing to spend Christmas in hospital with his beloved family at his bedside.
Mark was badly injured on December 9 in the driveway of his home on the corner of Falls Rd and Hudson Rd in Warkworth, north Auckland, about 11.30pm.
Mark suffered an injured shoulder and cheek as well as injuries to his head and eye.
It was discovered in hospital that he had also suffered a brain injury and he was placed in an induced coma.
Yesterday, the Herald reported that after nearly two weeks in a coma and constant monitoring by doctors, Maclean had woken from his coma and was blinking and squeezing hands on command.
Mark’s wife, Dereda Lipsey-Maclean has called his recovery a “Christmas miracle”.
Mark Maclean and his wife Dereda Lispey-Maclean. Photo / Supplied
Dereda today told the Herald Mark will be moved from the critical care ward to the intensive care unit (ICU).
“They took his nose breathing tube out last night so he is breathing on his own ... He’s doing extremely bloody well,” she said.
Dereda said that despite still not being able to talk, he is mumbling.
“He could walk after [the altercation] but he couldn’t talk, he was just moaning and holding his head and side,” she said.
The next step for Mark’s recovery is waiting for sedation to wear off to find out the severity of his brain injury and if there will be any permanent damage, Dereda said.
“It’s all a waiting game now but the progress he has made over the last two days has been huge, which is really encouraging,” she said.
Mark and Dereda have four children aged 6-17.
Dereda said although it’s not where they want to be at Christmas, the family will be by Mark’s side in the hospital.
“I want him home for Christmas but obviously that’s not going to happen so at least we will be with him,” she said.
In the critical care ward, only two visitors are allowed for each patient at one time, but Dereda is hoping this will be different in the ICU.
“The kids and I will all want to be with him of course so we might have to take shifts if only two of us are allowed at a time,” she said.
He was granted interim name suppression and ordered to return to court next month, at which point he is expected to enter a plea. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.
A Givealittle page set up by a family friend to “take some of the financial pressures off the family while they deal with the tough road ahead” has now raised more than $42,000.
