After more than three weeks in a coma, one of the first things Daniel MacLeod wrote after he woke up was, “It’s nice to see everyone.”

MacLeod, 22, has regained consciousness after an alleged June 28 assault on Dundas St. W. His parents, sister and extended family waited at his bedside in Toronto Western Hospital, not knowing whether he would live or die.

But his condition has improved markedly over the past week, said his cousin, Sonny Day. On Thursday, MacLeod said his name and wrote some messages to his family.

“(The doctors) said it’s miraculous,” said Day, who first spoke publicly about the incident that left MacLeod clinging to life earlier this month in hopes of helping police find the assailant.

“He’s opening his eyes, he’s been able to kind of acknowledge the people around and do some interaction. But it’s still very limited what he can do.”

Police charged a 27-year-old Toronto man with aggravated assault earlier this month after releasing security camera images of a suspect.

Day said MacLeod is now breathing without the help of a ventilator but can’t walk or talk and is still under sedation. He is also battling pneumonia, which he contracted after his admission to the intensive care unit at Toronto Western.

Day said doctors are reluctant to give a prognosis yet.

“They just have to see how it goes and see how much he improves,” said Day. “It’s still just wait and see. He’s still not out of the woods, he’s still got a long way to go.”

MacLeod’s ordeal began when he left the Dakota Tavern after a night out with friends. As he walked along Dundas St. W. near Lisgar St. around 2:30 a.m. on June 28, police said a man and woman approached him and an argument ensued.

MacLeod was allegedly hit in a scuffle and fell. Witnesses called paramedics and an ambulance took him to hospital.

He was released less than 12 hours later with “lacerations/head injury,” according to his emergency report. His family said he couldn’t walk or talk coherently when they picked him up at the hospital around 1 p.m.

About 24 hours later, MacLeod became totally unresponsive and was rushed back to hospital.

MacLeod, who had just been accepted to university in British Columbia in the fall, was in a coma for weeks afterward, relying on a ventilator to breathe. He suffered several strokes and had part of his skull removed to relieve swelling in his brain.

At the time, Day said doctors had told the family that if MacLeod survived, he would almost certainly suffer long-term brain damage.

Earlier this month, MacLeod’s family filed a complaint about his initial treatment and release. The hospital is now reviewing the complaint.

Day said he has received more than 100 messages of support after launching the website justicefordan.ca. Some have come from friends; others from strangers who heard the story.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“The family read it and they were very touched,” said Day, who printed off the notes and brought them to the hospital last week.

Fabio De Melo, charged with aggravated assault, was granted bail earlier this month and is due back in court on Aug. 7.

With files from Jacques Gallant