By Daniel Haynes

AFTER much fundraising and praying, Guyanese boxer Clive ‘The Punisher’ Atwell successfully completed his second brain surgery at the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in New York early yesterday morning. The boxer had his first surgery last October after fainting in the ninth round of his title fight against T&T-based Dexter Gonzales at the Giftland Mall. He was rushed to hospital and doctors found that he had subdural hematomas haemorrhaging. The findings meant he had bleeding in his head that had resulted from a serious head injury.
His situation was a dire one, since, after travelling to Trinidad, he was told he needed a second surgery, which would cost him G$5M. This prompted the fundraising process for the 27-year-old.
A committee was formed to raise the funds for the boxer, who needed the second surgery within six months. His fundraising had taken him out of Guyana to the United States and with help he was able to raise the funds he needed.
Lady Ira Lewis from Guyana American Heritage Foundation was the lead in getting the aid for Atwell while he was in New York.
According to Ira, “The doctors said that he should be out of the hospital by Saturday.”
When asked about completing his recovery process Ira stated, “It can’t be said for sure when the recovery will be completed; he was supposed to have this surgery months ago and so there could be some complications.”
After his surgery the boxer was up and was giving thanks to God as well as those who had helped.
“God is faithful and God is good, and I thank you all for your prayers and for your support,” Atwell stated. “I encourage you to lend a helping hand to whoever whenever it is required knowing that God is the author and finisher of all things,” he concluded.
Atwell is expected to be out of the hospital by tomorrow if there are no complications.