WARMINGTON: Crash victim in coma showing improvement as family prays for miracle

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Gabriel Rizi Arshad is still in a coma. But there is hope he may eventually be able to come out of it, his family says.

Just a small amount of progress keeps his family encouraged that their prayers for a miracle will come through.

There are no guarantees, but Gabriel has shown some improvement as he fights for his life in a hospital. He is still in unstable condition. He has had blood transfusions and multiple surgeries and will need more of both going forward. But he’s battling.

“Gabriel is hanging in there,” said his dad Riz.

The 21-year-old Bolton man has the full support of his mom, dad and three siblings who are with him all the time in a local hospital as he recovers from major injuries to much of his body as a result of an alleged serial drunk driver going through a red light and crushing his car against a guard rail.

He should have been killed. He has broken limbs, shredded organs and a major head injury. But this soccer player and coach, who loves FC Barcelona, is one tough kid and won’t quit.

For the first week there was not much improvement. Now with help from the medical team, he’s starting to show some minor steps that are giving family hope. There is “more movement of arms and feet, slightly opening one eye,“ said his dad.

There is a long way to go, but they have something to shoot for.

“We keep talking to him and honestly believe he is listening and at some level understanding,” said Riz. “He has come a long way in a week.”

This nightmare began at Hwy. 50 and Coleraine Dr. between Brampton and Bolton on July 5, when he was heading to Woodbridge to go to a pizza place with his pal. That was when Gabriel’s vehicle was struck at the intersection by a speeding van. Peel Regional Police charged the alleged driver, Koushal Kasiram, with impaired driving causing bodily harm and driving with excess blood alcohol despite being prohibited from driving three times.

Gabriel did not have a chance.

As Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said, when you let people out on bail repeatedly after driving prohibitions, it’s like playing “Russian roulette” with people’s lives. This case has not been tested in court.

But as Gabriel struggles in hospital, the accused was granted bail again. Life is not fair and sometimes can be stupid. Letting the accused continue to walk free despite having a serious criminal past is one of those things.

“We are encouraging people to contact their MPP to push for bail reform,” Riz told John Moore Monday morning on Newstalk 1010.

Riz said he does not want to see any other family face something like this.

Gabriel was taking courses in the hopes of becoming a plumber. A GoFundMe campaign that was started to help the working-class family with expenses for Gabriel’s recovery had amassed more than $33,000 by Monday afternoon.

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The situation is not perfect. “But he is alive,” said Riz. “We will take our son in any condition.”

They are angry, but they are also in shock. They are also in survival mode. The family is working around the clock to do everything to save Gabriel. Riz said he’s “sad” and “mad for what happened to my son.” But his primary focus is getting Gabriel healed and helping him get a second chance at life – even if the wounds are life altering.

“That kid was so badly beat up,” said Riz, adding he “truly believes God is watching over my son and will let us take him home soon.”

Many are praying for that.