Lee Vogler, the Danville City Council member who was attacked and set on fire in July, has made remarkable strides in his recovery journey, surpassing the expectations of his doctors, his wife has written in an update on a fundraising page.
“Over the past couple of weeks, things have been progressing at an amazing pace,” Blair Vogler wrote in a Friday post.
Last week, Lee Vogler was moved out of the intensive care unit at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s burn unit, where he has been since July 30, the day he was attacked and set on fire at his workplace.
The move out of the ICU comes two months sooner than expected, and if Vogler continues at this pace, he may be home earlier than anticipated as well, Blair Vogler wrote.
He was initially projected to spend at least six months in the hospital.
“One of the most encouraging developments is that Lee is now walking independently, and he’s been surpassing his daily walking goals, including taking on flights of stairs! His determination and hard work have truly paid off,” Blair Vogler wrote on the GoFundMe page that was created for her husband in August.
The page has raised more than $173,000 since then, which will help pay for medical expenses, rehabilitation and loss of household income.
Vogler, 38, was at his workplace on July 30 when a man identified as Shotsie Buck-Hayes, 30, entered the office, doused him with gasoline and lit him on fire, police said.
Buck-Hayes was taken into custody and charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding later that day.
A criminal complaint filed in Danville General District Court says that Buck-Hayes “during an interview admitted that he had dumped gasoline on Vogler” and that “his intention was to kill Vogler.”
Police have said that Vogler and Buck-Hayes knew each other and that the attack stemmed from a personal matter and not from Vogler’s work with the city.
Both charges were certified in a preliminary hearing in Danville General District Court in September.
The case is scheduled to be heard Oct. 27 by a grand jury, which will decide whether there is enough evidence to indict Buck-Hayes and send the case to trial.
During the preliminary hearing, an officer who questioned the suspect after the attack testified that Buck-Hayes claimed Vogler was having an affair with his wife.
This is the first update on Vogler’s GoFundMe page this month. The previous update, on Sept. 22, announced that Vogler was scheduled to have what his family hoped would be his final skin graft surgery.
In Friday’s update, Blair Vogler wrote that the surgery was successful, and the focus is now on healing the remaining open areas and improving mobility in his hands.
“At the heart of his recovery now is working on the strength and functionality of his hands,” she wrote. “His grip strength has improved significantly on both sides, and each day he’s able to do more independently — something that brings him so much joy and motivation.”
The city council member, who made headlines in 2012 as the youngest person to be elected to Danville’s council, at age 24, is motivated by his two children and the outpouring of support from his community, Blair Vogler wrote.
“Lee has also been crushing his diet and hitting his protein goals,” she wrote. “It’s no surprise — his strength and resilience have been incredible throughout this journey.”
On Saturday, Vogler posted on his Facebook page for the first time since July 26. The post included a short message: “I appreciate all the prayers, love and support. I am getting better each day. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. – LV”
As of Monday morning, the post had more than 250 comments.
“Lee truly believes that the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from all of you, from across the country and especially here at home, has been a driving force in his recovery,” Blair Vogler wrote. “He’s incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.”
