Shemick Matusiak says he hasn’t been in a position to sleep or work for per week, ever since his father was shot in the leg in Paraguay.
Shemick’s father, Richard, 66, was a self-employed painter and had just lately retired. Dealing with arthritis, he had chosen to spend six months of the yr in a heat local weather and 6 months of the yr in Canada along with his kids and grandchildren.
On Nov. 5, Richard was shot in the holiday house he’d constructed himself.
“Two guys arrived on a motorcycle on his property with a shotgun, words were exchanged, they got in some kind of struggle and they shot him,” Shemick mentioned.
“He called me while he was being rushed to hospital. He was extremely weak and he just told me, ‘They tried to kill me’. That’s basically the last I heard of him.”
The family has been informed that the bullet hit a primary artery in Richard’s leg and the hospital doesn’t have sufficient blood for his therapy. He’s already been via two rounds of surgical procedure and his family desperately need to deliver him again to Canada to obtain medical care.
The family has contacted Global Affairs Canada however they are saying they haven’t acquired a lot data in response, they usually haven’t heard any information since Thursday.
Even if family members did journey to South America they’d nonetheless want authorities help in bringing Matusiak house due to his situation.
“To know that you’re begging your country to help get him home safe, at least to Canadian soil so that he can get what he needs (but) not hearing back, not even knowing for four days if he’s still alive, if he’s OK,” mentioned Kristina Ponder, Richard’s daughter-in-law.
Global Affairs Canada issued a press release to CTV News saying the division “is aware of a Canadian citizen in need of assistance in Paraguay. Consular officials are in contact with local authorities to obtain more information and are in contact with the family to provide consular assistance.”
The division mentioned no additional data may very well be disclosed as a result of privateness issues.
The family has additionally been in contact with the workplace of their native MP, Sukh Dhaliwal. On Sunday, Dhaliwal informed CTV News that his workplace might be following up once more with Global Affairs on Monday morning.
“I will be in Ottawa tomorrow and I will ensure that I have a word with the Minster personally as well,” Dhaliwal mentioned.