'El Champo’s making a comeback!' Positive recovery update for Limerick's Lee Reeves
Lee has been in hospital since being knocked out in a fight at the 3Arena on August 1
A FRIEND of Limerick boxer Lee Reeves has shared a positive update in the Roxboro native’s recovery.
Former boxer and a friend of Lee’s, Jonathan O’Brien took to social media with his wife Emma to share the good news.
Emma started off by saying, “It might look like a sh***y day here in Lanzarote, but it’s not! Listen to this news that we have.”
Jonathan said: “We got some amazing news this morning and it’s all about Lee Reeves.”
The couple explained that there was “some movement,” with Lee squeezing his sister’s hand, blinking his eyes, smirking, and making “a grunting noise”.
Emma explained that they’re going to remove the tracheostomy from the 31-year-old’s neck as he is coughing and swallowing, showing that his brain his sending the correct signals to the rest of his body.
Jonathan added that the doctors had taken it off for a couple of hours the last couple of days, “which we didn’t want to tell yous, but we’re getting to tell yous today because the family has rang me and asked would I do a video.”
“And show Lee’s progress!” Emma excitedly added.
Lee has been in hospital since being knocked out in a fight at the 3Arena on August 1. He was recently transferred to University Hospital Limerick from hospital in Dublin.
“This is positivity,” Jonathan continued. “This is amazing news, this is a sign that something is happening from the power of the prayers from every single person out there that is praying.
“El Champo’s making a comeback! He’s fighting to come back and this is what we need, we need to hear some positive news guys, and this is what we’re giving yous today.”
The post then showed a video of Lee, which Jonathan explained the family asked him to share.
The video featured Lee’s sister at his hospital bed encouraging him to squeeze her hand, repeating “Squeeze my hand Lee”.
The footage shows Lee’s hand, which is clasped in hers, move slightly after she says it, to which she reacts with “Gowan champ!”.
Jonathan added: “Keep praying for Lee Reeves, it’s gonna be a long road for recovery. He’s gonna need all the help we can get out there, with the physios, with the nutritionists. We just need support from everybody, and to keep the GoFundMe page going because this is gonna be a long road and it’s gonna cost a lot of money for Lee and the family in the future.”