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Stabbing Victim Released from Hospital
CHICAGO, IL (July 29, 2005) - Jason Burley, who was stabbed numerous times and
seriously injured during an assault Saturday evening, was released from
the hospital late Thursday and is recuperating at home.
Burley, 35, is the son of Rev. Jerome and Joanne Nelson. Jerome is
superintendent of the Central Conference of the Evangelical Covenant
Church and Joanne works in the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism.
"I am feeling blessed," Burley says. "I'm going to make a full
recovery." Burley originally was placed in intensive care at Illinois
Masonic Medical Center suffering wounds to his heart and lungs, as well
as punctures elsewhere in the chest and abdominal areas.
Burley says it is a miracle he is alive. His lung collapsed when it was
punctured and his heart suffered a wound that left a silver dollar-size
hole. "It missed every artery," he says. "They say you couldn't hardly
do that if you tried."
Amir Kando, 34, was arrested and is being held in Cook County jail on
$275,000 bond in connection with a battery with a weapon charge. He is
expected to be arraigned next month. Kando lives in the same apartment
building where Burley's parents live - Burley says he barely knows
Kanda. "Nothing more than good morning or goodbye," Burley says of man.
"I don't even know his name."
Burley says he was on the common ground-level back porch of the
apartment building, where the assault took place. "I'm an over-the-road
driver and I was just getting ready mentally for what I had to do to get
ready (to leave the next day)," he explained. Burley says Kando walked
out of his apartment and attacked him from behind by wrapping his right
arm around his neck and attempting to slash his throat.
"I grabbed the knife blade," Burley says. "I've got a nasty cut on my
finger." He says authorities told him the knife was an 11-inch turkey
carver. Burley was able to wrest the knife away, but not before being
stabbed several times. "I was able to get to my feet and holler," he
recalls. "When I hollered, he ran into his apartment.
"I didn't realize I was stabbed," Burley continued, adding that he did
not seem to be bleeding. But, "the wounds in my torso were bleeding
internally," he explained. He says he felt weakened and then collapsed
to the ground. "I couldn't feel anything. I could just feel it getting
dimmer," he says.
Although the situation was grave, Burley says, "from the time my parents
came down until now, everything that could have gone in my favor has
gone in my favor."
Burley says authorities told him that Kando told them he tried to kill
Burley because Jesus had told him to. "I'm just glad it was me and not
some senior who couldn't have fought him," Burley says, noting that
Kando outweighs him by about 50 pounds.
Burley expects to continue recuperating for another three to four weeks.
"I had the whole Covenant church praying for me," he noted. "That's a
powerful thing." Joanne Nelson says Kando's mother, who also lives
downstairs with her son, has apologized to her.
Kando was charged with battery twice in 1998, according to Cook County
Circuit Court records. Disposition of those cases was not immediately
available.
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