Charlotte Gallen with boyfriend Charles Dooher
26-year-old Charles Dooher was critically injured in the attack, in which he was beaten by five masked men armed with iron batons at his home on the Coneyburrow Road in Lifford on Monday, January 20.
After being airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Charles’ fight for life began – with some of injuries being described as amongst the worst the surgeons and experts there had ever seen following the attack.
But incredibly, just over six weeks after the horrendous assault, Charles has been showing remarkable signs of recovery and has been moved out of intensive care according to his girlfriend, Charlotte Gallen.
She provided the update via social media this evening.
“Charlie is a force to be reckoned with, he is strong, brave and resilient and I will pay homage to him for the rest of my life,” Charlotte said.
“On the 20th of January I received a call from Charlie’s mum Annemarie at around 11:15am that my partner Charlie had been terribly injured and was being airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.”
“I remember us being told on the 21st of January (that) he wasn’t going to make it.”
“For the first two weeks of Charlie being in a coma I don’t remember much other than feeling sick, numb and alone even when surrounded by armies of people standing in solidarity with him.”
“I remember watching his figures minute by minute waiting for the swelling in his brain to go down and becoming so fixated on the numbers on a screen.”
“I remember praying into his ear whilst he lay lifeless and begging him to wake up. I wrote him letters and a Valentine’s Day card knowing he may never read them. I spoke to his ear and played him his favourite music in the hopes he could hear.”
Now however, Charlotte says that her beloved “Charlie” has been “nothing short of a miracle.”
“It’s been nearly 7 weeks since the event and Charlie has shown us the strong force of energy that he has within him. He has fire and determination within him that no man or woman would be able to put out,” she continued.
“After recently moving out of intensive care, Charlie has been nothing short of a miracle. To feel you hold my hand instead of me just holding yours, to hear your voice, and to be able to walk beside you is a feeling I will always treasure.”
“I’m so proud of the man you were, the man you are now and the man you will be.”
“I’m glad we can close that chapter in our story and I will be by your side for the next.”
Charles’ father, also Charles, was badly injured in the attack and was treated for his injuries in Letterkenny University Hospital.
Two men were arrested by the PSNI in Derry last month in relation to the incident, but were released on bail.
Gardaí were previously treating the incident as an “aggravated burglary”. However, following a meeting with the Dooher family and their solicitor, their investigations have now been upgraded to an attempted murder inquiry.
They have renewed their appeal for any witnesses to this incident to come forward.
Investigating Gardaí are particularly anxious to speak to any persons who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) of a silver/grey Peugeot 3008 (2009-2013 model) in the Coneyburrow Road area of Lifford between 10am and 11am on 20th January to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station on 074 9167100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
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