Man left with half a skull after brutal Great Yarmouth assault vows - ‘I will work again’

Daniel Brzozowski: Police picture (Image: Archant)

Michael Evans, 28, had his hands in his pockets when an amateur boxer landed a blow to his head on a night out in Great Yarmouth.

Michael Evans, 28, of Stanley Road, Great Yarmouth, was left with brain damage after a one-punch assault. His attacker has been jailed for three years. (Image: Archant)

As reported in yesterday's EDP, Mr Evans woke up in hospital nearly two months later and still cannot use a knife and fork or even write his name.

His 21-year-old attacker Daniel Brzozowski, of Albany Road, was jailed for three years on Monday at Norwich Crown Court.

But Mr Evans, of Stanley Road, said he will not waste his energy feeling bitter towards Brzozowski, and is focused on his recovery.

'I'm determined to get back to work one day,' Mr Evans told the EDP, sitting in his living room. 'I did IT when I went to college and I've got to re-learn my IT test.

'My hand is numb and won't do what I want, but it's warmed up a bit. Things are improving.'

His dream is to regain his independence, working to fix computers in people's homes.

And he is gaining more confidence every day.

Initially he wore a woolly hat to hide the concave side of his head where the skull is missing.

But he said people did not know anything was wrong with him and did not take extra care around him, so he does not wear it any more.

And he is counting down the days until an operation to fit a titanium plate to replace the missing skull later this month at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

'I'm looking forward to getting that done,' he smiled. 'It will mean everything.

'I'll go in the hospital for two days and the doctors hope my hand will write again.'

His dad Andy Etheridge, 60, said: 'Then he won't have to be scared about tripping over.

'It's a confidence thing.'

Mr Evans said he is adjusting to life with his injuries and has been prescribed painkiller tablets.

'Along the scar is the most painful bit, and the brain swells up,' he revealed. 'I can't drink coffee or anything, and I've cut my sugar right down.

'To start with I could only sleep for four hours a day, but now I sleep 10 hours.'

And he was overjoyed when he was able to reach a huge landmark for him – being able to play a game of pool again.

'I was able to start playing again last week,' he grinned. 'I remember the rules.

'My mate wanted to play one type of rules and I told him it was wrong!

'All my mates have been really good; they take me to play pool.

'I went through a stage that I would only walk with mum and dad as it was really stressful, but now I'm used to everything.'

He has no recollection of the attack in November, has poor short-term memory and said his entire memory of November has disappeared.

But he will not dwell on it.

'There's no point in being angry about it as it's happened,' he said.

'He [Brzozowski] broke my teeth as well, but I can't remember.

'January 18 was when I fully woke up [at Addenbrooke's].

'I saw the nurse and she was taking my blood pressure.

'I asked her if it was still November and she said it was January, and I went off on one. It was mainly stress going through my head.'

He said the last seven months have taken their toll mentally – and he refuses to take up his beloved hobby of fishing again after unusual nightmares in hospital.

But he is adamant that his attacker will not win.

He has hailed his family, friends and the Lady Haven pub in Cobholm, Yarmouth for their support, and hospital staff who helped keep him alive.