MILWAUKEE (AP) Day after day, Raghuvinder and Jaspreet Singh hovered by their nearly comatose father and repeated a single word a word their dad probably spoke more than any other in his lifetime: "Waheguru."
The Punjabi word is a term Sikhs use to refer to God. Roughly translated, it describes the wondrous expression of God's presence. For 65-year-old Punjab Singh, an internationally known Sikh priest who hasn't spoken and barely has moved since a white supremacist shot him in the head last summer, the word meant everything.
Doctors had cautioned Singh's prognosis was grim. But his sons were convinced prayer, love and constant companionship would help their father heal. So they remained by his bedside 24 hours a day at a long-term care facility in Wisconsin, alternating shifts and sleeping in a bed next to his.
Every day they repeated the word "waheguru" (pronounced VAH'-hay-goo-roo) and watched for a response. For weeks there was nothing. Then on Jan. 9 he began to move his mouth, apparently trying several times to say the word. The next day he tried 30 times.
In coming days, his sons spoke the word more than 100 times. Each time he moved his mouth to match the rhythm of their syllables, in what his speech therapist said appeared to be attempted repetition. He couldn't vocalize because of a tube in his throat, and couldn't move his lips deftly enough to lip-synch, but it was clear to Raghuvinder and Jaspreet what their father was trying to say.
"It was a happy moment for our family," Raghuvinder Singh said, beaming.
Punjab Singh was wounded Aug. 5 when a gunman opened fire at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek. Six Sikh worshippers were killed and three other people were injured. The motive of the gunman, who killed himself, is unknown.
Of those wounded, Punjab Singh suffered the most severe injuries. A single bullet to his face damaged brain tissue, blood vessels and the brain stem. He remained in a coma for two months, and a pair of strokes nearly paralyzed his left side.
Improvement has been marginal, but unusual enough for a patient in his condition that his doctor calls the progress remarkable. After five months, Singh can move his eyes to track movement on either side of him, he tries to mouth words and he seems genuinely aware of his surroundings.
However, Singh's best-case scenario remains limited. He'll most likely never walk, and while awareness may improve, communication likely will consist of deliberate eye blinks, simple gestures and perhaps whispered words. As long as he stays stable, there is a chance for more improvement, according to his doctor.
Follow this link:
AP Exclusive: Sikh shooting victim slowly improves