One year on from Terminal 21 shooting, hero still faces major surgery

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Life changed for ever for 27 year old Jirattikan Nopthai when he arrived for work at Terminal 21 in downtown Nakhon Ratchasima on February 8th 2020. 

 

Riding his high powered motorcycle he expected this Sunday to be much like any other. 

 

Instead a soldier on a shooting rampage arrived outside the mall and started firing war weapons. 

 

Jirattikun - who became known in the Thai media by his nickname of Neuy - helped those who had been shot.

 

Then he himself became a victim with devastating injuries to his abdomen and left arm that left him in a coma. 

 

Medical teams at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima battled to save his life while relatives and the rest of the country waited offering their support and hope for his recovery.

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Eventually he came round and though it is a year since that fateful day Nuey is still continuing his recovery.

 

He lost a kidney and his arm is still not completely back to normal. He has to have a catheter and part of his intestine is outside his body.

 

Major surgery is planned for this April to put the intestine back in his body. Sanook who went to interview the heroic young Thai man published a list of medical appointments coming up that looked like a shopping list. 

 

But Neuy is putting a brave face on his recovery that is 70% complete.

 

He is unable to work but can drive a car himself on the way to rehab meaning he is a burden to no one - the way he likes it. 

 

He thanked the wonderful medical staff for their hard work in helping to save his life and begin his recovery and also thanked the Thai public for their well wishes. 

 

He vowed to be 100% and fight on regardless. 

 

Thirty innocent people died and scores were injured at the mall and other locations last February after a soldier stole weapons and a Humvee and headed for Terminal 21 via a temple. 

 

Ceremonies to mark the tragedy were held yesterday and this morning. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-09

 

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Outstanding lad. I wish him well.

Be strong young Man.

It is perfectly OK to loose a Kidney, it will not affect your life at all.

I had an accident and lost 1 when I was only 18 and I am now in my mid 60,s and have had no issues.

My best wishes go to you.

I hope he and his family have been looked after financially as well as psychologically. He will require longer term support .

Good man

Even though it is a tragic story it's nice to read something like this than the usual doom and gloom. 

Good Man I hope the surgery turns out well

Good kid! Seems like his first thought was to help others rather than worry about himself.

The absolute horror ....lasting horror.......... of these types of attacks seems to go untold......I'm pretty sure most people have no idea of the years of trauma people continue to suffer.