SKOWHEGAN — A Skowhegan man who might have suffered permanent brain injury from a BB gunshot wound to the head on Sunday remained hospitalized in Bangor on Friday, just days after he was given the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick by a Catholic priest.

“He’s hanging in there,” Lauri Quimby said via social media of her son Charles Quimby, 19, who still is listed in serious condition at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Charles Quimby Related Headlines Skowhegan BB-shooting victim ‘stable’ but could have brain damage

“Not so much talking yesterday and today, but his eyes are getting clearer and he tries to follow you with his eyes,” Lauri Quimby said.

Witnesses told police Sunday that Charles “Charlie” Quimby was shot in the head with a pellet gun or a BB gun by 20-year-old William McCarty at 44 Joyce St. in Skowhegan.

Lauri Quimby said doctors feared the worst when her son was brought in and they summoned a priest to perform the Roman Catholic sacrament, often administered to people who might be about to die.

Jade Goodridge, of Clifton, Charles Quimby’s father, said Friday on social media that his son was “Ok today … (but) yesterday wasn’t a good day.

“Doctors say he is getting little better but time will tell any brain injury — time is the key.”

He said the BB penetrated his son’s skull and can be seen on X-ray images. Jade Goodridge has said his son could suffer lasting effects from the wound, including problems with vision, motor skills, balance and coordination. He said as far as he knows, the shooting was an accident.

Skowhegan police Chief David Bucknam said Tuesday afternoon that the shot was in fact a BB and entered Quimby’s head through the left temple. Bucknam said a detective attempted to interview Charles Quimby on Friday but he was not responsive to questions.

So far, no charges have been filed in the case.

Skowhegan police went to the scene Sunday with the assistance of the State Police Major Crimes Unit. Skowhegan’s Criminal Investigation Division is conducting the investigation into the incident, Bucknam said. A search warrant was executed at the home to collect the BB gun, or rifle, and other items of interest, he said.

Lauri Quimby posted on Facebook on the Fourth of July that she had talked to her son’s nurse, who said “things are looking more and more positive.”

“He’s able to talk more, as well, now that he’s not so sedated. He will be getting assisted physical therapy tomorrow or the next day as his right side is weaker then the left. Speech therapy may come into play depending on how well his brain is healing, but so far its all looking on the upward side.”

Lauri Quimby said her son knows who people are when asked, and he follows commands. She said his brain’s swelling has decreased and his nurse said he should be getting more stable at this point.

“As far as blindness, they don’t think he’s blind,” she said. “He makes eye contact and keeps it. He answers questions when asked if he’s cold or in pain etc. He is not being sedated as much because his aggression is slowing down. Everything is pointing to a really great recovery, may take months or more for therapy, but he’s quite the fighter.

He’s not giving up that’s for sure.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

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Twitter:@Doug_Harlow

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