Two night's ago we brought you the gripping story of 21 year old Steven Yearwood, the young man who was shot to the neck and left paralyzed. His already grave condition is compounded by the fact that hideous, painful and virulent bedsores are literally eating away his flesh. He asked us to visit with him so he could send a message to the youth about the dead-end life of violence and to ask for assistance. Well his moving pro-life testimony, and the frightful bedsores stirred an outpouring of community support. Alfonso Noble visited to find out how much his life has changed in just 48 hours.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
When we visited 21-year-old Steven Yearwood today he was pretty much in the same condition as he was on Wednesday. But today his spirits were high. Steven and his father say that since our story aired, the outpouring of support from the public has been overwhelming. Literally hundreds of people have come forward to offer assistance.
Steven Yearwood Sr., Father
"An old lady, she didn't want to give her name, the first time I saw her was with a stick and she came and told me she couldn't sleep the night and she had five dollars that she wanted given to my son and she will pray for me. We have over four hundred people come and visit my son since he went on the news. People come with tears. Belize people are real, once they know he that needed help. Belize people came way from Stann Creek, people from Belmopan, from Corozal-all kind of people come in."
Steven Yearwood Sr. says that because of the kindness and generosity of the public and business houses, the past 48 hours has changed his life.
Steven Yearwood Sr.,
"Today I don't have to cry as much as I had. I don't have as much grief. In less than forty eight hours I have plenty less problems. People come in so much; schools come, teachers come, doctors, sorry. I went to the hospital yesterday and everybody rushed me and told me they are sorry and they thank me for thanking the hospital and everything but this stage we are at is a higher stage because we reached a stage where we couldn't go anymore.
I thank the Belizean public and all Belizeans and everybody in the hospital, in the social, in everything. We have boxes of pampers. People came this morning and wanted to deliver more pamper. People are helping us in everyway. We ask them to come, without money they can still come and just...my son felt good these last two days."
Steven Jr. says he's energized by the support.
Steven Yearwood Jr.,
"I feel stronger, I feel better. I feel good that people just come and hail me. I just like what everybody is doing for me. Thanks to God because God works through his people. I just want the public and everybody know, I don't know how to show them....I know no other way to show them that I am happy for what they did for me. I feel better. I sleep good.
I will get up from here and walk with the help of everybody and the help of God. Directly they will see me back on the news and on the street and when they see me they will know it is me because I will make them know it is me.
I didn't know so much people in Belize would have cared for me and love me like this and help me."
And more than all that, Yearwood has an offer from an unnamed businessman who will pay for him to be admitted at Universal Health Services until the bedsores are substantially contained. We'll keep you posted on his progress.
