(Trinidad Guardian) A young man, who was struck in his head by a stray bullet and given a slim chance of survival, has defied the odds.
Daniel Marin has been soldiering on along the road to recovery propped up by prayers and his parents’ unwavering support for nearly a decade.
Daniel was with a group of friends at the beach when, on preparing to leave, was accosted by six people among them a women who attempted to rob them,.
During the fracas, one of the assailants whipped out a firearm which discharged.
The 18-year-old was hit in the head, the bullet entering the left side and exiting the right.
Marin was taken to hospital while the perpetrators were apprehended a short distance away by police.
The aspiring electrical engineer’s spark was soon on the brink of fading, as his father Jude explained, “ he spend a long time in ICU and they told us if he do make it he’ll be like a vegetable and I said no we believe in God and he will do better and be as good as new.”
Marin’s prognosis seemed grim, but his indomitable spirit and his parents unwavering faith were all he needed to overcome the odds.
He was eventually discharged and returned to his Sangre Grande home, but merely a shadow of what he once was, blind and unable to speak or move, Jude and Wilma’s seemingly daunting journey with their son had only just begun, “ everyday it real difficult, as you can see when I talk about it, I break down, to see in an instant how life can change and we out here take life for granted.”
Marin’s will to recover was bolstered by prayers from his parents, friends and wider community.
“I used to ban his body and lift him like a baby carrying him to church every day , every weekend praying the lord will touch him and the lord really bring him back.” Now, as he prepares to celebrate his 27th birthday, Daniel has regained partial vision, mobility and speech, accomplishments which even medical doctors marvel at today, “the first time I saw something I was like wow, the sun, the sun, I say wow…I am actually seeing,” his father said.
Throughout his emotional and painful journey, his parent has acted as his therapist, using whatever strategy possible to help their boy back on his feet, from making homemade tools to strengthen his legs to using the television as a catalyst to get him speaking.
Their support is why Daniel says he is indebted to his parents. “I wanna say thanks for all the things they do, like I really really happy , when I come back normal I want to do something,” he said.
Jude and Wilma are now hoping good Samaritans can volunteer and help him with the therapy needed to improve his recovery anyone interested can contact 761-1062.
