Family edge closer to getting Shane home

The family of a young man who suffered horrific brain injuries in an unprovoked attack more than seven years ago finally hope to be able to bring him home over the next few months.

The parents of 29-year-old Shane Grogan from Tuam are in the process of modifying a house to make it suitable to his needs.

Joe and Joan Grogan were grief-stricken when they learned that their son, who was just 22 at the time, had suffered catastrophic brain injuries as a result of the incident.

While Shane is making good progress with round-the-clock care and physiotherapy, it will never be the same for the Grogan family who are still trying to come to terms with what happened back in 2012.

But his parents, who visit him on a daily basis in a local nursing home, are more determined than ever to bring him home.

However, Joe Grogan admits that it is not a simple procedure and that various planning requirements need to be put in place before it is acceptable to both the Health Service Executive and those who will be looking after Shane in the future.

The Care for Shane fund has raised around €250,000 since it was established. The long term ambition is to bring Shane home to his family.

Shane was a gregarious, ambitious and adventurous individual who had excelled in terms of education and sport.

He graduated in business studies at GMIT Castlebar and worked in the financial department of Merit Medical in Galway. He was also a keen athlete and marathon runner.

More than seven years after he suffered horrific brain injuries in an unprovoked attack after attending the Galway Races, the hopes are high that he is finally coming home.

Shane Grogan, who is now 29, has resided in a number of care facilities since the attack took place in Tuam after he celebrated a very rewarding and extremely enjoyable final day of the Galway Races in 2012.

Planning permission was granted to the Grogan family in Tuam for the construction of a new house in the town which will be specially adapted to accommodate Shane who will then move into the bosom of his family.

Shane sustained severe head injuries in the attack and subsequently a man was convicted of the assault and a prison term was imposed.

Shane was walking with his girlfriend towards the house of a friend in the area when the incident happened at approximately 3.30am on a Sunday morning.

Tuam Gardaí and the emergency services were alerted and were quickly on the scene and Shane was taken by ambulance to University Hospital, Galway. He was later transferred to Beaumount Hospital, Dublin for specialist treatment for severe head injuries.

“Shane is in good form and is responding well to the therapy he is receiving,” Joe said. “He particularly likes music – so we give him a blast of the Sawdoctors every so often”.