WATCH: Since being stabbed in October, 18-year-old Jordan Lavallee has been fighting for his life. He spoke to Lisa Wolansky today.
EDMONTON – They say they were initially told he wouldn’t make it, but now, more than 10 weeks after being stabbed in the head, Jordan Lavallee’s family is calling his recovery miraculous.
“It’s been two months, but it feels way longer than that,” says his mother Andrea. “He’s a fighter.”
At 6:15 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 18-year-old Jordan was stabbed after getting off a bus at Coliseum Transit Centre.
“He had a really bad stab wound to the back of his head and was bleeding out,” recalled ETS driver Andrew Metcalfe who, along with several other transit operators, tried to help Jordan until paramedics arrived.
“I honestly thought he was dead,” says his girlfriend Desiree, “laying there, bleeding.” The teen was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
READ MORE: Serious assault shuts down Edmonton’s Coliseum Transit Centre
“We all showed up together,” recalls Andrea, “and I saw Jordan laying there and I realized how serious it was. They said he was on life support that he wasn’t going to make it.”
She says the family was told his spine was three-quarters severed, but they did not give up hope that Jordan might recover.
“We prayed and prayed and prayed and waited with him,” says Andrea. “We just did it one day at a time,” she adds. “He opened his eyes… he was responding to us.”
“They just did something and he started talking … It was amazing.”
Andrea says, since then, Jordan has continued to make gains.
“For the first month I cried because I couldn’t move and I thought I was going to be like that. But then, my little brother was just like, ‘move your finger,’ and I moved my finger and I started moving my hand,” says Jordan, speaking to Global News at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
“It’s been alright,” he says.
“I was supposed to never move again so at least I’m moving a bit.”
Jordan says his breathing tubes were removed five days ago and he describes breathing on his own again as “pretty cool.” He says he’ll stay at the Royal Alex for observation until he’s transferred to the Glenrose Hospital for rehabilitation.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to walk because I don’t want to be in a wheelchair or be dependent on other people… When I get to the Glenrose they say it’s going to be really intense… that’ll be alright – getting some intense rehab and then hopefully going home and going back to normal. That would be awesome.”
The 18-year-old says his family and his girlfriend have been by his side every step of the way. Jordan’s progress continues to blow them away.
“It’s amazing,” says Desiree.
“He’s not supposed to be able to do any of these things, and he is. He’s a fighter.”
Eleven days after the stabbing, police charged a male youth – who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act – with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and breach of probation. Police said the youth was arrested on the Paul First Nation and that he is known to them.
READ MORE: Teen charged in Coliseum Transit Centre stabbing
Jordan isn’t sure the arrest and charges will bring him any closure.
“I’m pretty angry,” he admits.
“At least I’m not – hopefully not – going to be in a wheelchair.
“I don’t like when people stare at me. It kind of pisses me off. I just want to yell at them, ‘what are you looking at?'”
For now, Jordan and his family are focused on the future and his continued recovery.
“I just look at him and I’m happy,” says Andrea. “He can talk and he has a sense of humour. He can move. He moves his legs, he can kind of sit up.
“I’m just happy my son’s alive.”
“It’s a miracle to see Jordan, from where he was stabbed… the highest part of the brain… to see that it was severed and to see him move now and to see him off the breathing machine.”
“I think God has a plan for Jordan, I honestly do.”
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