MILWAUKEE — Before a July attack in her home, 99-year-old Shirley was living independently. As Shirley recovers from severe injuries, a family friend says she’s facing long-term care and a move to an assisted living facility.
Julie Callahan, a friend of Shirley’s family told WTMJ’s Libby Collins that Shirley was “totally fine at night, able to take care of herself” before the attack. Shirley suffered more than 100 stitches, multiple broken bones in her face and spent nearly two weeks in intensive care before being moved to rehabilitation.
“She’s emotionally not good, obviously,” Callahan said.
While Callahan says Shirley is getting stronger physically, she is now confined to a wheelchair and expected to move to assisted living – a dramatic change in Shirley’s care needs.
“It literally took her complete independence away from her,” Callahan said.
Callahan has stepped in to help her friend by creating a GoFundMe which she said will help with Shirley’s bills, hospital care, rehab, and future needs.
“All the donations I have already linked to the family’s bank account, so every dollar that comes in goes directly into her bank account,” Callahan said.
The July attack against Shirley has drawn scrutiny after her legal team said two 911 calls placed by her life alert company were improperly handled by dispatchers, before Shirley crawled to a phone and called for help herself.
Joseph Guadalupe Macias, 23, has been charged in the attack. Shirley’s legal team says the two did not know each other, and his motive is still unknown.
Listen to Callahan’s full conversation with WTMJ.
