It is the worst nightmare for any parent. On the April 24th 2010 Liam and Sheila McShane received a phone call, at home in County Armagh, telling them their daughter had been the victim of a vicious attack and was beaten almost to death.
Now keeping a constant vigil at their daughter’s bedside, they spoke to the press, for the first time, about the horrific experience and their brave daughter’s fight for her life.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Natasha’s father, Liam said “I felt sick to my stomach when I was first told…There's a holy shrine, St Bridget's Shrine, we just went up there, me and my son Conor and prayed and had a bit of a breakdown. I knew she'd had an awful bang on her head. I was praying she would make it.”
Liam had just received the news that his eldest daughter Natasha had been severely beaten around the head and back with a baseball bat in Bucktown, Chicago. She was out celebrating her newly awarded summer internship when the University College Dublin student was brutally attacked.
The severe blows to the head resulted in brain swelling and she remained in an induced coma for nearly a month. Her parents traveled immediately to her beside.
“It was unbelievable — we could hardly recognize her,” said Liam. “There were machines all around her bed and about 14 or 15 bags under her.
“They explained to us that they had to remove a part of her skull so that her brain could swell and that they had to keep her in a coma. There was such pressure on her brain that she might have died.”
Through Natasha’s friend, who also attacked that evening, Stacy Jurich and the taxi driver who sounded the alarm, the McShanes have been able to piece together the events of the evening of April 23.
Stacy said that she felt a blinding pain to the back of her head. She was then struck again and saw Natasha drop to the ground and a man running away with their purses. Stacy remained conscious long enough to flag down a cab and give a witness statement.
Liam had a chance to meet the taxi driver who stopped and found the girls. “He told me he thought she was dead — she was covered in blood…He saw her move her arm and leg a little bit and realized she was alive. I shook his hand. He probably saved her life.”
Heriberto Viramontes and Marcy Cruz are now being held in custody for on 25 indictments including attempted murder. Liam and his wife were informed that the suspects had been caught but their minds were elsewhere.
“At that point I was really just too worried about Natasha and how she was doing to even think about these people…You wonder what kind of human being could do this to someone. What kind of animal would you have to be?
“But as I say, our main concern was Natasha, we just didn't have the energy to waste on those people. They're not going to do it to anyone else now.”
Natasha is making slow but steady progress. Now breathing on her own, she had begun to eat and drink and even speak. Liam joked that she was shown some photos of herself and she cringed and covered her head. She is definitely on the mend.
“She's fit to stand now and they're working on her walking in physical therapy,” said Liam.
“The doctors have told us that each and every brain injury is different and that it's hard to predict progress.
“She got quite emotional there a week or so ago and we were wondering if she was remembering what had happened.
“She speaks Irish sometimes although she isn't really talking, she whispers; we're just now getting to be able to understand her.”
The support for the people of Chicago has really overwhelmed the family. At the beginning of June the community held two large fundraisers and events have also been taking place around the State and the country. So far they have raised over $250,000 for Natasha.
“The people here have been nothing short of amazing,” said Liam. “The priests have provided a lot of comfort to us. I can't say enough good about them. Nothing is too much for them, they have taken us in.”
“We're by her bed 24/7. We know it's going to be a long, hard road but we're waiting to bring her home. However long that takes.”
To help click on www.helpnatasha.net.
8 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.xiyangyang | Jun 29, 2010, 09:34 AM EDT
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shannynkatelyn | Jun 27, 2010, 06:25 PM EDT
It's among the worst of tragedies happening in our world today. People become worse than most animals w/ a predatory demeanor & intent toward others when the going becomes all the tougher. I think if thay aren't born born evil that resorting to evil overtakes what conscience, if any remains, believeing harming & taking from others will help them to survive. I was a biologgy major. After raising my children, losing my most of family I can say that it is not only the genetically most fit who shall survive the days ahead, but the spiritually. My own mother nearly died 10 years earlier than God intended to take her as result of massive head trauma injuries, a fractured neck, 2 punctured lungs & lastly a fractured right arm. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!! My mother was in her 70s & she not only survived, we were blessed to have my same mother return to us w/ very little noticeable difference to her personality as it was proir to the accident which nearly caused her death. I called everyone we knew asking for prayer. We all traded off staying besde her bed for months. She & we received a greater miracle than we could have both hoped & prayed for. She did have to go thru extensive physical therapy & speech & occupational therapy, but God restored her! Had He taken then I would have lost my only surviving daughter & my son and I may also gone due to the pain from these losses. My heart, prayers & spirit go out Natasha and family! If you read this article and haven't heard of this atrocity, please remember the power the power of prayer & pray for her & her family. Pray as the Lord leads you or merely ask for complete resoratiion of Natasha's spirit, mind & body. What harms one of us has a corporate impact on the Body of Christ. It is a blessing to pray for each other. None of know what is around the corner for us and our loved ones when we, too, may need these prayers.
JBRAFTREE | Jun 26, 2010, 06:47 PM EDT
Business was taken care of in Chicago. Two Irish American Heritage Centers, both north and south side have raised an extraordinary amount of funds to take care of Natasha's medical bills and rehab and will continue until $ is not needed. As far as the offenders, they are Puerto Ricans.
ciarrai | Jun 25, 2010, 11:01 PM EDT
A minimum 10 years of hard labor w/out the modern conveniences afforded the usual modern inhabitant of U.S. prisons. I think Heriberto Viramontes needs a long time inside to contemplate the error of his ways. In the meantime, a measure of normalcy for all the McShanes.
RightwingCowboy | Jun 25, 2010, 08:56 PM EDT
I've spent hours on our border with the Yuma Patriots. It took some time but the federal government finally finished the fencing along the border. But then everything kind of stopped, slowed down or hit "snags". You see, the US politicians do not understand that we are in a war. Be the illegal alien a Mexican, Guatamalan, Chinese, French, Irish, Saudi, or from wherever, they all need to be sent packing back to their country of origin. And as you know, we are having problems with drug cartels, alien gangs, and more. I wish Natasha a speedy recovery and will remember her in my prayers. God bless her family.
Aloygirl | Jun 25, 2010, 05:01 PM EDT
Whatever their story may be .. illegals,poor,uneducated.. there is no excuse for what they did. Cowardly addicts do not need a reason.. This is why I am and always will be a firm believer in capital punshiment. If an animal turns on you it is put down, so it can't harm anyone else. Prayers and best wishes from the Hammel family to the McShane family.
Bushothehill | Jun 25, 2010, 04:05 PM EDT
Yeah, you can bet those two perpetrator dirtbags are illegal aliens. They don't belong with the human race and are the foster children of the lowlife politicans who refuse to close the gates to millions like them who are fast becoming a cancer in our society. I pray for the innocent Natasha and friend and hope for their speedy and permanent recovery. But don't let your heart be troubled, America is still full of decent human beings who will see those two young females through to full recovery
noelle2010 | Jun 25, 2010, 10:07 AM EDT
I am astounded by this! Such a lovely young woman who met such misfortune. I pray for her complete recovery & thank God for the medical staff who are helping in Chicago. It is becoming too prevalent that innocent victims are suffering at the hands of 'desperate street criminals!' Is this the 'sign' of the times to come?? WORLD poverty is causing violent crimes to occur-everywhere!! My prayers for Natasha, her family & others affected!!