Salt Lake City – Richard Norby, a Mormon missionary who was injured during the Brussels airport bombing on March 22, has returned to his home in Utah this weekend.
Twenty-six days after the terrorist events Norby returned home with his wife by his side on an air ambulance plane. The still injured man was admitted to the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City, according to a family statement on Facebook.
Norby will continue receiving treatment for his burns and shrapnel wounds in the U.S. The 66-year-old suffered from second-degree burns and severe trauma from shrapnel in his lower leg. He was later put in a medically-induced coma, as reported by ABC News. As he returned home he continued to thank his Belgian medical staff for “their care and concern”, added the statement.
However, Norby has shown signs of improvements in the past many days. His feeding tube was removed earlier this week and now is able to ingest solid food once again. He survived with three other young missionaries who were at the scene when the bombs exploded.
“At the time of this next step in his care, we are still very mindful of the many other victims and families that are suffering and in mourning,” wrote Norby’s family in the statement. “You remain in our prayers,” they added.
Survivors
Norby’s companions in the events and survivors as well were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as reported by Deseret News. Mason Wells, 19, and Joseph “Dres” Empey, 20, suffered from Norby second-degree burns and other serious injuries. They already returned to Utah.
The third missionary injured was Sister Fanny Clain, 20, of Reunion Island, France. Also with second-degree burns, Clain remains hospitalized in Antwerp, Brussels, as reported by the Washington Post.
Source: The Washington Post