Willis

Two weeks after her near-fatal motor vehicle accident, former Grace Thrillers lead singer, Shirley Willis, is still in a coma, but her condition has improved.

According to her son, Noel Willis, he has seen improvements as his mother now responds to him for longer periods.

"She is coming on and doing better. They (doctors) don't have her sedated. For the past four days, she has been responding to me by opening one eye and she is moving her head for longer periods. Previously, she did this for 10 seconds but now it is a minute or two," said young Willis, who is now the lead singer for Grace Thrillers.

Shirley Willis is being treated at the Kingston Public Hospital after the car she was driving collided with a bus at an intersection in Greater Portmore last month.

Slight movements

When The Gleaner spoke with young Willis days after the accident, he said she had made small improvements as she was making slight movements, and the swelling on her face had gone down.

At that time, young Willis questioned whether his mother was in a coma.

"Dem (doctors) still calling it a coma but every time I call her, she responds. They say there are times when she is able to obey commands but other times she doesn't. They say her conscious level is fluctuating," he told The Gleaner.

He said that he was baffled by this as she has responded to his other siblings, Sherane and Ryan Willis, as well. He continued that when they sang, she moved her hands and feet.

Last week, the former lead singer did a CAT scan and was expected to do another within a week.

Noel said that the swelling in her brain has also decreased and this was another positive sign.

"We haven't seen anything that made her condition worse. We are hoping that it stays that way and the doctors are hoping also."