THE family of 89-year-old Nelson Mandela Bay pensioner Thomas de Kock, who was brutally attacked in his Lorraine home and found semi-conscious in a pool of blood on Tuesday, has flown into the city to rally round him.
De Kock, whom police initially feared might not recover from his severe injuries and internal bleeding, was yesterday in a stable condition but still struggled to speak because of his injuries.
"I feel much better now that I've gotten to see him," said daughter Monica de Wet, 59, who drove down to the city from Mpumalanga on Wednesday to be with her father.
De Kock was admitted to Livingston Hospital on Tuesday morning after being assaulted with a blunt object the night before by an unknown number of assailants.
Because of De Kock's condition it is unclear whether anything was stolen from his home.
Neighbours said De Kock was known for his charity to the homeless and hungry.
Despite his internal bleeding and face lacerations, as well as bruising around his chest from where he lay on the floor all night after his attackers left, doctors managed to stabilise De Kock .
De Wet and her husband Thys said they had been trying to convince De Kock to move out of his house where he had lived alone for many years.
"He loves to work in the garden in that house. We've been trying to get him to come live with either us, or in a nice home where he'll be taken care of. His name's on a waiting list, but he wouldn't ever consider moving," said De Wet.
De Wet said though her father could not speak much at this stage, when he saw her he had tears in his eyes.
"He definitely recognised me. I just don't think he remembers much about what happened," she said.
De Wet said they would be staying at her dad's Rennes Street, Lorraine, property while he recovered. When he was stable enough they would take him to live with them in Mpumalanga.
"His house is for sale, so we're just going to stay here and help move that along and go to see him in hospital," she said.
De Wet, who studied nursing at Free State University and has experience as a nursing sister, said her father's condition wasn't severe or life threatening,
"His eyes are very swollen. The soft tissue is very inflamed, but he's very strong."
Police spokesman Captain Johann Rheeder said the investigation into the attack was still ongoing, but that new information from the public was "standing still at the moment".
He appealed to members of the community and neighbours with any information that might help with the case to come forward and report it as soon as possible.
"We're still looking into the matter. We take an attack such as this extremely seriously," Rheeder said.
Attacked pensioner stable but still unable to speak
THE family of 89-year-old Nelson Mandela Bay pensioner Thomas de Kock, who was brutally attacked in his Lorraine home and found semi-conscious in a pool of blood on Tuesday, has flown into the city to rally round him.
De Kock, whom police initially feared might not recover from his severe injuries and internal bleeding, was yesterday in a stable condition but still struggled to speak because of his injuries.
"I feel much better now that I've gotten to see him," said daughter Monica de Wet, 59, who drove down to the city from Mpumalanga on Wednesday to be with her father.
De Kock was admitted to Livingston Hospital on Tuesday morning after being assaulted with a blunt object the night before by an unknown number of assailants.
Because of De Kock's condition it is unclear whether anything was stolen from his home.
Neighbours said De Kock was known for his charity to the homeless and hungry.
Despite his internal bleeding and face lacerations, as well as bruising around his chest from where he lay on the floor all night after his attackers left, doctors managed to stabilise De Kock .
De Wet and her husband Thys said they had been trying to convince De Kock to move out of his house where he had lived alone for many years.
"He loves to work in the garden in that house. We've been trying to get him to come live with either us, or in a nice home where he'll be taken care of. His name's on a waiting list, but he wouldn't ever consider moving," said De Wet.
De Wet said though her father could not speak much at this stage, when he saw her he had tears in his eyes.
"He definitely recognised me. I just don't think he remembers much about what happened," she said.
De Wet said they would be staying at her dad's Rennes Street, Lorraine, property while he recovered. When he was stable enough they would take him to live with them in Mpumalanga.
"His house is for sale, so we're just going to stay here and help move that along and go to see him in hospital," she said.
De Wet, who studied nursing at Free State University and has experience as a nursing sister, said her father's condition wasn't severe or life threatening,
"His eyes are very swollen. The soft tissue is very inflamed, but he's very strong."
Police spokesman Captain Johann Rheeder said the investigation into the attack was still ongoing, but that new information from the public was "standing still at the moment".
He appealed to members of the community and neighbours with any information that might help with the case to come forward and report it as soon as possible.
"We're still looking into the matter. We take an attack such as this extremely seriously," Rheeder said.
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