ST. LOUIS — Pianos for People co-founder Tom Townsend, heavily sedated for weeks after being shot during an apparent carjacking attempt, is now awake according to his son. Nate Townsend said although his father can’t talk yet, he’s been able to give police valuable information about the September 18 failed carjacking.
“Over the last couple of days he's been able to write full on sentences,” said Nate Townsend. “We have a whiteboard that he uses and he's been able to write complete thoughts and statements."
“It's tough for me to speak specifically on what my dad, the information that he shared with the detectives, but I can tell you that he remembers everything and that's just really encouraging for us. It just reaffirms that his mind is all there and, you know, he was able to walk away from this event without any brain injury or anything like that,” Nate Townsend said.
Even though Townsend’s vehicle was not stolen, a gunman shot him in the neck, doing extensive damage to his lower face. Nate Townsend said his father will have a long recovery involving multiple surgeries, but said the long-term prognosis is good.
“The moral of the story is he's gonna be okay,” said Townsend. “I'd say probably within the next few weeks he probably will look to leave the hospital.”
There is an $11,000 dollar reward for information to catch the shooter. Since Townsend co-founded Pianos for People in 2013, the non-profit has given away 240 pianos along with free lessons.
