NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 61-year-old Asian woman has awoken from a coma after being hit in the head with a rock by a stranger months ago in Queens.
GuiYing Ma was sweeping her Jackson Heights sidewalk on the morning of Nov. 26 when Elisaul Perez allegedly attacked her in the head with a large rock.
The grandmother had been in a coma at NYC Health & Hospitals/Elmhurst ever since the attack, but on Monday she finally awoke.
Ma's husband, Zanxin Gao, told
about the moment Ma awoke after hospital visitors who had been denied access during the omicron wave were allowed to return.
"That's the first time we know she was awake," Gao said. "I'm happy. I'm so happy."
Ma is unable to move her left side, and it is unclear whether she will ever speak or recognize her family, according to the outlet.
"In the very beginning, she was sleeping. I called her name. She responded to me," he said. "I asked her to move your hand. She moved her hand. Move your leg. She moved her leg."
With a long road expected for the victim and her family, a GoFundMe
created by friend Yihung Hsieh has now raised over $141,000.
Hsieh told ABC 7 that Gao might be forced to quit his job to help his wife recover.
"Maybe Mr. Gao will have to quit his job to spend more time to help Mrs. Ma to rehab her," Hsieh said.
Meanwhile, Gao said he is hoping Perez is not allowed to assault anyone else again.
"Before this incident, he was arrested 14 times. If he was released again, it's highly possible he will attack other people again," he said.
Perez, 33, has been charged with assault and harassment after the incident. ABC 7 reports that he is scheduled to be back in court in April.
