Seventeen-year-old Blessing Fale, the head boy of Maluafou College who was critically injured in a brutal assault last month, has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is now recovering in an acute ward at the national hospital after brain surgery. 

Blessing has been out of the ICU for a week and continues to make slow but steady progress, according to his family.

His father, Fale Kuresa, described his son’s recovery as nothing short of a miracle after weeks of uncertainty following a brain surgery.

“It’s a miracle,” Kuresa said in an interview with the Samoa Observer.

 “We thank God for that - he opened both his eyes, but he can't speak,” he said. “Although his eyes are open, he doesn't see anyone, but he’s getting better now. The doctors removed more than 50 stitches from his head last night. Thank God—he’s okay.”

Kuresa added that the scar from the "brain surgery" is healing slowly but admitted that the family are still "sad."

"We are very, very sad because he missed his final exams. We feel sorry for him," said Kuresa. 

Blessing sustained severe head injuries in early October and was admitted to the Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) National Hospital’s ICU, where he was placed on life support. Four men, aged between 20 and 25, have since been charged in connection with the incident. They face multiple counts, including causing injury, causing serious bodily injury, assault, robbery, and theft.

According to his father, Blessing remains in an inpatient ward as he continues to recover from the brain surgery.

“It takes time to fully recover,” he said. “But we’re still waiting for him to come back to himself.”

Kuresa said Blessing’s mother and sisters have been by his side throughout his hospital stay, supported by a steady stream of classmates and teachers who visit him daily.

“Every day and every night they come—never miss a day,” he said.

The case against the four accused men is expected to be formally presented in the Supreme Court on November 10.