A 78-year-old woman was maliciously attacked on the steps outside her church.
Penelope opened the Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in South Yarra, Melbourne Australia, around 6am on Saturday when she was attacked.
A man and woman approached her, and the male punched her in the face, pushed her to the ground and kicked her.
She lay alone on the ground in Barry Street for half an hour before a councilor found her.
The daughter-in-law Erin said Penelope had a broken wrist, broken pelvis and bleeding in her brain in two areas.
Congregation member Jane Pallot told NCA NewsWire that the woman was “doing well” at Alfred Hospital – she had a broken arm and her face was “completely bruised”.
“Everyone is completely shocked about this – it’s such a horrible act of cowardice,” she said.
‘She’s going to open the church in front of the priest every Sunday – she uses her trolley to balance her and someone just attacked her.
‘She’s been doing it for over thirty years, and this is the first time something like this has happened. She is a beautiful lady and her life is church, and we will make sure she is taken care of. ‘
Penelope is the full-time caregiver of her husband with dementia and the attack meant she may not be able to care for her husband again.
Penelope’s daughter-in-law, Erin Katsavos, told the Herald Sun that Penelope remained in a good mood despite the heinous assault.
“He does not know what happened, he just knows that she is not there,” she said. Katsavos added.
“He is very confused and upset about the whole thing. It is really important for him to have stability and routine. ”
“She’s going very badly, but she’s doing everything she can to get better.
‘She’s a very positive person and if anyone could recover from this, it would be her. She is very determined. ”
Anyone with information about the incident should call Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
There was an outpouring of support for Penelope following our post, and many offered their prayers and love.
