Saskatoon man left with brain injury after random stabbing at hospital, family says
A 55-year-old man was stabbed in the head with a screwdriver at a Saskatoon hospital, according to his daughter.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 13 at Royal University Hospital.
According to police, the 39-year-old alleged attacker was taken into custody by hospital security and subsequently arrested by police. Kevin Witchekan is charged with attempted murder in the attack.
Danya Beauchesne was seeking medical care at the hospital at the time. Her father, Randy Beauchesne, had accompanied her.
"It's just hard seeing everything taken away from him I don't want to see anyone else go through that," Beauchesne said.
She said Randy had left to pay for parking as a favour for an old friend they had bumped into at the hospital.
When he didn't come back, she began to worry. Then a nurse took her aside.
"They're like, your dad was just assaulted. We're admitting him into emergency, he's got a whole team of doctors looking after him," Danya said.
She said the screwdriver used by Randy's attacker had penetrated his skull and entered the frontal lobe of his brain.
"I love him so much, he's a fighter, he's a survivor," she said.
"He was just trying to do something nice for someone while already doing something nice for me and then he has that happen to him," she said.
On Monday — two weeks after the assault— Randy had his feeding tube removed, according to Danya.
She said she has barely been able to speak with her dad since the attack due to his injuries.
"I've had two days out of the 16 that I've been able to talk to him, he's usually under sedation or he's just too tired."
Danya said she's been told Randy may need up to two months in RUH before he can be transferred to City Hospital — where a long road to rehabilitation will still lie ahead.
Along with a family friend, Danya started a GoFundMe to raise money for her dad, a self-employed arborist who loves martial arts. She worries will never be able to work again.
"I don't know how comfortable he can live with the state that he's going to be for the rest of his life," she said while tearing up.
"I don't want him to have to worry about paying his bills or any of that stuff when he can barely remember what date it is."
Witchekan's next court date is scheduled for July 7.
--With files from Carla Shynkaruk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.