HOUSTON, Texas–A father bought his son enough time to prove he was going to live, but it was at a great cost.
Eleven months ago, George Pickering II was told by doctors at Tomball Regional Medical Center that his son, who had a history of seizures, would not recover after he suffered a massive stroke and was in a coma.
CNN affiliate KPRC reported that doctors told Pickering that his son, George Pickering III, was brain dead, a vegetable. The hospital put him on “terminal wean,” meaning he was being slowly taken off life support, and the hospital even notified an organ donation company since the younger George was an organ donor.
“They were moving so fast, the hospital, the nurses, the doctors,” said the elder George.
The elder George, who admits he was very drunk and belligerent, grabbed a gun and threatened hospital staff, saying he had been down this road with his son before, who previously recovered, and he was certain there was still some life left in his son. He just wanted a chance to prove it.
“I knew if I had three or four hours that night that I would know whether George was brain dead or not,” he said in an interview months later while sitting next to his now-recovered son.
George’s other son quickly disarmed him, but he continued to threaten hospital staff and SWAT negotiators on scene. However, he eventually surrendered after he proved his point and knew his son would live.
“During that three hours George squeezed my hand three or four times on command,” he explained.
The loving father was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. One charge was dismissed, and the other was lessened. He was given credit for time served, and recently released.
“There was a law broken, but it was broken for all the right reasons. I’m here now because of it,” said the younger George, who co-owns an electrical engineering business with his father. “It’s the duty of a parent to protect your children, and that’s all he did.”
