Theย medicalย bills are piling up for a Des Moines family five months after an attack during a carjacking left a man unable to see, talk orย walk.
Mike Wasike was the soul breadย winnerย for his family who came to Iowa from Kenya hoping for a better life. He had only been here four years when the attack happened on February 26.
Wasike suffered severe brain damage.
โI guess my life just ended on that day this happened,โ Joan Namachemo, Mikeโs wife, told KCCI in May. โItโs sad.โ
Wasikeโs family is now trying to sell family items and other possessions to pay the mountingย medicalย bills.
โThese used to be a rock,โ said Chip Peterson of Chipโs Picks Antiques and Flee Market. โThey were carved andย paintedย in Kenya.โ
Petersonโs shop is filled the familyโs items.
โThese are very nice swordย fish,โ said Peterson.
Among the colorful paintings and figurines sits two pieces of paper that tell the story of Mike Wasike.
โI try to explain to everybody who comes to theย doorย about Mike and Joan and their children,โ said Peterson. โEverything that is sold in this room goes to the family.โ
Peterson has agreed to sell many of the Wasike familyโs African items at his store and to give them 100-percent of the profits from the familyโs items.ย He is also giving them a portion of profits from other African items that he has for sale.
There are statuettes, hippos, lions โ cabinets full of colorful handmade items from the Wasikeโs home or sent over from theirย family membersย in Kenya.
Each of the items contains Joanโs name on the tag.
โCome and spend some time, look at whatโs for sale here,โ said Peterson.
Prices on the items range from $2 to $30.
Peterson said Mikeโs story has impacted not just his family, but the whole community.
If you want to help you can find all these items at Chipโs Picks Antiques andย Flea Marketย at 2785 Northeast Broadway Avenue in Des Moines.
Mikeโs wife told KCCIโs Laura Nichols on Thursday that hisย conditionย is about the same. He has permanent brain damage, which means he canโt see, talk andย walk.
She is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, looking at aย rehabilitationย facility for him. He is going to have to leave the hospital soon.
Three teens have been charged in the carjacking case and are in jail awaiting trials.-ย kcci.com