WAUWATOSA — The wife of a man who was tased by Wauwatosa Police back in May says her 37-year-old husband is still in a coma and fighting for his life.
Johnny George was tased by police at Pinelawn Cemetery on May 22nd. He has been receiving care at a local hospital ever since.
"They state that Johnny is medically stable, which I don't agree with or don't understand being that he's still in a coma and he's still on life support," said Sunny George, Johnny's wife.
Because he is being deemed stable, Sunny says doctors want Johnny to go home.
"And they're pushing for a discharge to home because we were refused by facilities, rehab programs, brain recovery programs, coma recovery programs, we were refused because the police are involved," said Sunny.
Sunny said this all started when they called 911 for medical help involving someone else during a memorial service at Pinelawn Cemetery on May 22nd.
WATCH: Wife asks TMJ4 for help, husband in coma after being tased by police.
Wauwatosa Police tell TMJ4 News, when police responded Johnny tried to punch an officer with a closed fist. Sunny is adamant there was never any fighting.
TMJ4 News has requested to review 911 calls, police reports, and body-worn camera video which should show the family's exchange with police. Police have denied our requests, citing their ongoing investigation.
Johnny has not been charged with a crime. Sunny is now left anxiously wondering what happens next.
"I'm overwhelmed, I'm emotionally distraught and trying to hold up for my family and my kids are heartbroken, they're traumatized," said Sunny.
While trying to navigate these unexpected healthcare complexities, Sunny reached out to TMJ4 Lighthouse Reporter Ryan Jenkins, who then went to the Milwaukee County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) to ask who could help Sunny find solutions.
"Just contacting the ADRC to find out what resources are available and how to get help is really the first step," said Amos Besaw, a Disability Specialist Supervisor at the ADRC.
Sunny said a disability specialist reached out and connected with her and Johnny the day after Jenkins brought her questions to the ADRC.
"The benefits specialist can help them gather the medical information that they need and then walk them through the process to apply and actually do the application with them," said Besaw.
The ADRC can help families sign up for disability benefits and learn more about their options for long-term health care. In essence, they're simplifying the process and getting Johnny situated with the information he'll need once he's discharged. The team of five is helping the George family with things like finances, transportation, and care options.
"If a person has a change in condition, or they have new medications or anything that needs to be updated with social security, we can reach out and we have internal contacts with social security to get through a little faster, so some of the red tape cutting type of thin," said Besaw.
Help during Sunny's search for solutions as she works to provide the best quality of life for her husband going forward.
"He's only 37-years-old, he has two children, he's a husband, he's a father, he's a son, he's a brother. And, were looking for help from a doctor or a rehab that can push for that progress that we know and have faith that Johnny can make," said Sunny.
Meanwhile, although TMJ4's requests to review those public records have been denied, the Lighthouse Team will continue to work to follow through and review that body-worn camera video and those 911 calls as the police department's investigation continues.
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