CHARLESTON, W.Va. — He was surrounded by friends and family when he was wheeled out of CAMC General Hospital Friday morning. Eight weeks after bouncer Jimmy Beasley was shot 12 times he was able to go home for the first time. Dozens of supporters were lined up to cheer him on.
Beasley was walking two women from The Cellar in downtown Charleston to their cars on a night in late-April when George Sawyer and Tasheem Collins allegedly ambushed him. Beasley was rushed to the hospital where he underwent hours of surgery.
Police later determined Sawyer and Collins had been tossed out of The Cellar by Beasley earlier in the evening.
Beasley’s wife Donna, told MetroNews he’s made an amazing recovery.
“He has progressed wonderfully. He’s talking. He just hasn’t passed a swallow test. He still can’t put weight on his right leg but he can go without the boot on his left. He’s getting a little more use out of his left hand which he had no use of,” Donna Beasley said Friday.
She added since the shooting they’ve heard from hundreds of people, some they know, some they don’t. But everyone has wished Beasley a speedy recovery.
“Even my dad said, ‘You never knew how many people knew Jimmy until this happened.’ It’s just been amazing,” Donna said. “People from out of state that we don’t even know, (we’ve gotten) support from them. I think it’s just the tragedy and the senselessness of what happened that just really brought a lot of people together in the community.”
On hand to help escort the Beasley’s home were a dozen bikers who own or frequent bars in Charleston and know Beasley from his job. Ronald Carpenter was one of them.
“The recovery he’s come through, it’s truly a blessing! Prayers do matter. Prayers do matter,” said Carpenter.
Those friends helped Beasley out of his wheelchair and into the couple’s minivan. As they pulled out of the hospital, a police car and the bikers followed in a procession.
“You know, I think Jimmy is going to have a whole lot more friends watching his back now,” according to Carpenter. “Evidently he has friends above that’s watching his back.”
Beasley still has a long recovery ahead of him. But his wife said being at home will speed that on. She stressed her husband wants to speak to the reporters once he’s fully healed.
Both Collins and Sawyer are charged with malicious wounding.