Assault victim on road to recovery

The mother of an 18-year-old Virden woman who was assaulted last week and left with a brain bleed said she feels “overwhelmed” with support from the community.

Alexis Bukarz was still recovering in a Winnipeg hospital on Tuesday, but her mother said doctors told her that Alexis can be discharged to stay in the connected hotel.

“My daughter’s surviving this, and she’s gonna come out better than ever,” Alison Bukarz told the Sun on Tuesday.

“Everything she’s accomplished in a short 36 hours is nothing but a miracle,” she said. “They say people like her should have lost their lives.”

At around 12:30 a.m. last Thursday, Alison was notified that Alexis had a severe seizure and was in the hospital in Brandon.

When she arrived, Alexis was already in a medically induced coma, and doctors pulled Alison aside to tell her that her daughter was the victim of an assault and in critical condition.

The assault took place at Brandon University, police confirmed with the Sun.

Alison said her daughter’s head had been crushed “like a tin can” and she had an epidural brain bleed, which is when blood accumulates between the skull and the outer membrane that covers the brain.

She said her skull was compressing her brain, and the doctors couldn’t stop her seizures, so they had to put her in a coma while they waited for STARS Ambulance to airlift Alexis to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

“I asked if she was going to be OK, and they said she was in very critical condition and a lot of people don’t survive this,” Alison said.

“I just broke down. I lost my legs … Everything gave out,” she recalled.

“She means the world to me. I can’t live without her,” she said through tears.

Alison said she stayed with Alexis while she was transported to Winnipeg, where Alexis underwent a craniotomy. Alison said the doctors took the piece of skull off of her brain, drained the blood and put the skull back together with screws and plates.

Alison counted 74 staples on her daughter’s head.

Alexis remained in a coma until Saturday. When she awoke, the doctors needed to sedate her, as she was having recurring nightmares.

On Sunday, the doctors scaled back the medication so Alexis could be more alert. Over the last few days, she has gotten out of bed and has slowly started walking and talking again.

“(The) brain damage that she does have … might affect her speech a little bit, and she might have some aphasia,” Alison said.

Alison said Alexis is set to graduate high school in just a few months and was recently accepted into college. She wants to be an ultrasound technician.

Now, she’s worried she won’t pass chemistry because of the amount of school she missed.

The day before the assault, Alexis she got a job at the Association for Community Living in Virden — a non-profit agency that provides support for adults with intellectual or physical disabilities. However, Alison said there’s a high possibility she won’t be able to do that now.

Alison said she and Alexis “can’t believe” the support Alexis has received in the days after the assault.

A close family friend created a GoFundMe page, which had raised more than $30,000 as of Tuesday. Alison said the Royal Canadian Legion in Virden is also hosting a social in honour of Alexis.

The money raised will go toward paying for their hotel stay, food and other bills associated with Alexis’ recovery, Alison said, adding that whatever remains will go into a college fund for Alexis.

“We are so grateful for the community and the support that has been shown to us little Virdenites … Thank you to everybody for all the kindness, the support, the prayers and the donations. Like, it’s just unbelievable,” Alison said.

A 20-year-old man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault last Thursday in connection with the assault.

The next day, the man was released from custody on a $5,000 promise to pay, along with several other conditions.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com