Gorres stable; wife to leave for Vegas

MANILA, Philippines - WBO No. 3 bantamweight contender Z Gorres’ wife Datchess will leave for Las Vegas to attend to her stricken husband as soon as she is issued a US visa. That’s the word from Gorres’ manager Michael Aldeguer who said yesterday the fighter will stay at least three more months in Las Vegas to undergo therapy before he is cleared to return home.

Gorres, 27, underwent emergency surgery at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada to drain blood in his head and relieve pressure on the brain about an hour after he collapsed in the ring following a win by unanimous decision over Colombian Luis Melendez at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas last Friday night.

Aldeguer, who is in Las Vegas, said Gorres’ vital signs are stable and normal. “Buchoy (Gorres’ nickname) has progressed well and made a thumbs-up sign when asked by the head nurse, a good sign since he followed the command,” he said. The brain activity is an indication that he has survived the critical 48-period after sustaining the injury.

The plan is to decrease Gorres’ sedation and slowly wean him away from the ventilator today. Aldeguer said this will allow Gorres to be more conscious and to breathe on his own. Doctors had placed him in an induced coma to stabilize his condition.

Gorres’ wife was in tears during a Star interview the other day. Datchess said she has faith in God that Gorres will be spared and prays her novenas at the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, the Simala church for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s devotees in Sibonga, Cebu.

Datchess said she has told her children that their father is in the hospital. Their children are Dheybert, 7, Sheiladhey, 5, Zhey, 3, and Khodhey, five months old.

“We’re all praying for Buchoy who loves our children very much,” said Datchess in Pilipino. “I don’t know if the children understand what he’s going through. Sheila asked me why Buchoy got hit when he defends very well with his weaving. Our oldest boy is very much affected but I’m not sure if he realizes the extent of Buchoy’s injury.”

It was reported that if Gorres had not been rushed to the hospital, the accumulation of blood would’ve created a huge clot to cause swelling and irreparable damage to the brain. He could’ve died if not attended to immediately.

As it turned out, a team of five doctors led by Dr. Michael Seiff performed surgery that took about two hours and drained the blood causing compression on the outer layer of the brain after removing a portion of the skull. The portion was placed in a bone bank and will be put back after Gorres is declared out of danger. While the skull is open, Gorres will be fitted with a metal helmet during his period of recovery.

Aldeguer said he was surprised when Gorres complained of numbness in his legs as they were about to leave the ring. The fighter dominated the fight against Melendez but went down from a left straight with about 15 seconds left in the 10-rounder. Gorres beat the 10-count and finished the bout on his feet.

“If not for that knockdown, the fight was completely one-sided,” said Aldeguer. “It was one of Buchoy’s most impressive wins. Right after the last bell, he even apologized for letting his guard down. As we were got ready to leave the ring, Buchoy told me he couldn’t lift his legs. That was the last thing he spoke. Then, he passed out and collapsed on the canvas. We brought him out on a stretcher then rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance.”     – Joaquin Henson