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Honour ceremony to continue healing journey for Kamloops attack victim

Mom Sue is hosting a gathering on May 6 to honour Jessie Simpson
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Jessie Simpson blowing kisses to the camera. (Sue Simpson/Facebook)

Jessie Simpson beat the odds with a lot stacked against him.

The young man from Kamloops was attacked with a metal baseball bat in 2016 and spent nearly a year in a coma.

Not only did Jessie wake up, but he has learned to speak and eat on his own again and continues physical therapy to regain motor skills.

To honour the fight Jessie has been through, his mom Sue is planning a little party at her home in Savona for May 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœWe91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re going to make it kind of a traditional ceremony. We91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re going to have an elder come do a prayer and then we91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re having an elk horn made for him with an eagle feather and a dream catcher.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

Sue is welcoming anyone who wishes to attend. The party will be at 7106 Savona Access Road, Savona.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœJessie will speak that day, I want him to speak. He91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been really, really proud lately, he91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been opening his hands and telling everybody, 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ˜look at my hand, I can open it fully,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ that91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s his left hand where he had the stroke. And he91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been talking to me a bit about what happened.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

Jessie has little memory of the attack, but Sue doesn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t want him to relive the horror.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœI think the positive is good for both of us. I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m starting to feel like I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m healing.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœWe haven91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t had a nice time together and that91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s what I wanted. Everything is so busy all the time for both of us, he91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s doing all his rehab and everything else and he91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been sick and I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve been at the hospital with him91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ¦ He91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s never been honoured. We always talked about it that we91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re proud of Jessie, but this is a day for Jessie to be honoured and maybe we91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ll keep it a tradition.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

Sue91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s healing journey has included writing a book about the past seven years, and adjusting to life as the main caregiver for her adult son.

Another piece of the healing journey came from the court ruling in late February that Jessie91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s attacker Kristopher Teichrieb did sell his home for $1 in an attempt to hide assets from a potential lawsuit.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœIt91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s justice for Jessie. It91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s definitely what I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve fought for the past seven years.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

READ MORE: Kamloops baseball bat attacker ordered to sell home to pay victim

Sue could not speak about the court decision as of yet. She continues to fundraise on to pay for travel and medical expenses.

Part of Jessie91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s healing has included community support like the mass amounts of cards that come in at his birthday and Christmas.

Although the request is a little early, Sue is hoping to fill Jessie91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s room with birthday cards again this year as he comes home on weekends through the summer.

Jessie turns 26 on July 26. Cards can be mailed to: Jessie Simpson PO BOX 233 Savona B.C. V0K 2J0.

READ MORE: 25 going on 18: Happy birthday to Kamloops man badly injured in 2016 assault



brittany.webster@blackpress.ca

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Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

I am a video journalist based in Kelowna and capturing life in the Okanagan
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