Paralysed chef returns to work
11 January 2001
British chef Bill Gallagher, who was shot and paralysed during an attempted car hijacking in South Africa last year, has returned to work. He has resumed his role as food and beverage director of South Africa's Southern Sun hotel group on a part-time basis. Gallagher returned to South Africa two months ago following a rehabilitation course at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. He was paralysed after a bullet pierced his shoulder and severed his spinal cord when he was attacked at traffic lights in Johannesburg. He was on his way home from work. Gallagher, originally from Newcastle, has regained some use of his fingers and hopes eventually to regain partial use of his hands. He said: "I am working at building up my strength and I want to thank everyone for the support they have given me. "It has been a scary time and the support has helped me come home again and pick up my life." He added: "The police are still looking for my attackers but unfortunately shootings are a daily occurrence in South Africa and I don't think they have been successful."
