Eastern Ontario Fastball Blog

A blog dedicated to news about the Greater Ottawa Fastball League and other happenings in the world of fastball / fastpitch softball in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with occasional stories featuring Mrs Fitzroy Fastball, Fitzroy Fastball Junior and the Caveman. If you have info to send on, send me an email at fastball[at]fitzroyharbour.com. Follow @fitzroyfastball on Twitter.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Update on Laddy, from the Citizen

OTTAWA — Darren Ladouceur is back in his Stittsville home, but the 35-year-old father of two still faces a long road to recovery after a January assault outside a nightclub in Syracuse, New York.

Karen Ladouceur remembers the telephone call in the middle of the night informing her that her husband had suffered a serious head injury.

“I knew when the phone rang from the hospital that I didn’t want to answer it. The phone doesn’t ring at that time of the night for just any reason,” she said.

She was told that Darren was in serious condition at University Hospital in Syracuse after he was found unconscious outside a downtown nightclub. He had gone there Jan. 25 for a guys weekend with friends.

The details are still sketchy and Ladouceur said her husband doesn’t recall the assault. Syracuse police have charged a 21-year-old man with felony assault in connection with the incident and the case is far from over, she said.

Her husband suffered a blood clot to the brain and was put in a medically-induced coma for two weeks. He returned to Ottawa Feb. 12, spent some time at The Ottawa Hospital and has been home for a few days. Next week, he goes to the Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre to begin more treatment.

Ladouceur says Darren can now walk, and even take a short stroll outside, but he tires easily. He can also speak and recognizes relatives.

“He’s doing OK, but he has a lot of work ahead of him for cognitive skills,” Ladouceur said. She has been told it’s too early to tell if Darren will make a complete recovery.

After receiving the terrible phone call, Ladouceur and her father drove to Syracuse.

“I knew he was a fighter and a determined guy so I kept that in the back of my mind that he will come through it,” she said.

Darren was a product manager at Zarlink Semiconductor, an Ottawa-based high-tech company. An avid sportsman, he played fastpitch and hockey. The couple have two sons, Ryan, 4½ and Trent, 2½.

“It’s been awful and the worst nightmare I’ve ever been through,” Ladouceur said of the past two months.

“I really didn’t know if he was going to come home to me and my family. He’s home now and we could just hope for a decent recovery.”



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1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

All the best on a full recovery, thoughts and prayers for Darren, his family and the 76'ers.

Steve McCord
Flyers

12:45 pm  

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