'Left for dead' man comes home

A 21-year old Kilkennyman who was left for dead after an attack in the US, got a hero's welcome yesterday to his family and friends who had gathered for an early Thanksgiving dinner.

John Brennan barely survived an attack on September 28 when he was struck outside an Irish bar in New Haven, Connecticut. He has astounded medics by making a full recovery after being on a life support machine and surviving two major operations. Yesterday, at his home in Clara on the outskirts of Kilkenny city, John was showing off his scar to his seven year-old niece, Dianaimh Phelan and her friends. The scar spans half his hair line and continues down the centre of his head, ending behind his left ear.

The Christmas decorations were all up and a banner inside the patio door read 'Welcome Home John'. For the Brennan family, yesterday was a very special day.

"I didn't realise when I was recovering just how much was going on here and how people were rallying together to raise funds," the gutsy 21 year-old said. "It'll take a while to settle into being home but I'm really glad to be back. It's great to be home. It wouldn't put me off going (to America) again, but I'm glad to be back," he said.

More than 60 well-wishers, including parish priest, Fr Jim Murphy, and John's cousin, Fr Pat Comerford from Slieverue, gathered for Mass in the Brennan home at lunchtime yesterday.

John and his mother, Mai, had only arrived in to Dublin on a 6am flight but they were delighted to welcome everyone to their home. They sat down to a Thanksgiving dinner of turkey and ham prepared by family and friends, John Joe Brennan and Gen Byrne.

"We can't thank people enough for everything they have done," John's mother, Mai, said. She stayed with John in New Haven since the accident.

"It's been a terrible few weeks. It's heartening to know that there are so many good people out there. Fundraisers have collected 40,000 so far through various events, including a golf classic, dances, a casino night and a trust fund account.

John's medical bills are significant and his hospital care alone came to $11,000 a day.

John's father, Tommy, who is former chairman of Kilkenny County Council, returned home from the US when his son was taken off the critical list. He too was delighted to have the family together again. "Its been a very traumatic eight weeks but it has all ended well. People have been absolutely fantastic. I got so many offers for dinner while Mai was away. You really know who your friends are when something like this happens. And we know we have so, so many good friends. We got letters from everywhere. We want to thank everyone for their help.

"We even had one letter and a postal order for the trust fund from a woman in Kerry. Her son wasn't quite so lucky. We thank her and we thank everyone who has been absolutely fabulous to us," Tommy said.

John Brennan missed his 21st birthday because he was still in hospital in the Yale New Haven unit in Connecticut. After that, he spent several weeks in Rehab in the Gaylord Rehab Centre in Wallingford just outside Newhaven.

But as the sing song started up in the sitting room yesterday evening, there were no signs of the hero getting some sleep. It all had the looks of a long-awaited party which might continue for quite some time.

Gathered around John were his proud parents, his sisters, Marian and Elaine and his brother, Padraic.

Police investigating the unprovoked attack have interviewed an eye witness and hope to make an arrest this week.

John's attacker could be in court by the end of this week, a police spokesman said.