‘Miracle’ of National Guardsman shot in DC: ‘Our boy is going to recover’
The West Virginia National Guardsman left seriously hurt after he was ambushed in Washington DC by a deranged gunman has made “miraculous” progress — acknowledging people around him and even sharing a kiss with his mom, The Post can reveal.
Andrew Wolfe — who was in critical condition after the attack with his survival in doubt — has astonished friends and family who feared the worst after he and fellow National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, were shot at their post Nov. 26 just blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died of her injuries on Thanksgiving Day.
“Andy’s showing continual huge improvements,” Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), a former governor of the state, told The Post.
“He was sitting in a chair. His right side’s getting better. He gave his mom a kiss. She gave him a kiss and everything — a lot of good stuff,” said Justice, who shared the latest update from Wolfe’s mom, Melody.
More than two weeks after the shooting, Wolfe, 24, has been able to visit and communicate with friends in is DC hospital room, Justice added.
Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal was hospitalized and faces first-degree murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
Wolfe — who so far has been unable to speak since suffering a gunshot wound to the head — has been able to communicate using his body to demonstrate that he understands what people around him are saying.
“Right now, he’s trying. They said he was laughing with his friends and so on like that. He’s doing better,” Justice said in an interview outside the Senate chamber.
“He very much understands. His friends were showing him some funny pictures . . . and he was responding to that. He’s responding to thumbs up and everything,” he said.
“Listen, it is a miracle from God above that he’s alive, period. But with all that being said, and absolutely responds to questions, you know — squeeze my hands, do this and that. He’s doing amazingly better.”
Melody Wolfe told people “our boy is going to recover” although he will have to go through “intense rehabilitation.”
Dr. Jeffrey Mai, a MedStar hospital neurosurgeon providing care, said Wolfe is now breathing on his own and can stand with assistance – “important milestones that reflect his strength and determination.” He will be transferred from acute care to an inpatient rehab facility.
“The care has been remarkable, and they have told us Andy’s progress is miraculous,” Melody and Jason Wolfe said in a statement released by the hospital.
Justice grew emotional while recounting Wolfe’s climb back from a difficult prognosis.
“Sheesh — I’ll be big tears running down my face [if] I don’t watch it,” he said, holding back obvious emotion.
“His family — to say that [they] really don’t harbor bad thoughts about the guy that shot him — it’s a courage and it’s a faith that’s unbelievable. And that’s just how good his family is. They’re part of the miracle to me.”
President Trump lauded Wolfe’s progress Wednesday while speaking to reporters at the White House.
“We weren’t looking with great hope on that — Andrew — and today he got out of bed, actually, got stood up, didn’t say anything. The chances of Andrew — other than his mother, who said, ‘Nope, he’s going to be okay’, his mother was the most positive person — and [it] could be that she’ll be right. Pretty amazing.
“Both of them were so badly hurt, we never thought that one could survive,” Trump said of Wolfe and Beckstrom.
The shooting has prompted new warnings about domestic terror risks to the country and new revelations about the military service of Lackanwal and other Afghans who previously served alongside US troops and entered the country under President Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome.
Amid the pressing hunt for a motive or explanation for the tragedy, Wolfe’s recovery offered a sign of hope.
“Andy is all of our miracle right now,” said Justice. “He really is.”
