Watch CBS News

'I Missed Him The Whole Time': Chicago Family Grateful As Father Recovers From Shooting, Attempted Carjacking

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago father is now out of the hospital and recovering at home after he was shot on the way to work by someone trying to take his car.

Leroy Dennis shared his story only with CBS 2's Shardaa Gray and the 30-year-old said being able to see his wife and kids again, he's grateful to be alive.

"It's a 50/50 chance of people making it and I'm one of the one's who's going to make it."

"The hard part is over. He made it," said his wife Shanorah Dennis.

More than two weeks ago, Dennis says he was the victim of an attempted car-jacking. He was shot in the chest and the side, and in the hospital was breathing through a ventilator.

"You hang in there for us, because we got you back here."

He said all he can recall was driving into work and being shot near 88th and Ada.

"When I got shot, I couldn't move my legs," Dennis said, adding that it happened within minutes.

"I looked at the GPS, it was only three minutes. I just left the house. So the whole thing took place within three minutes," Dennis said.

LeRoy Dennis was rushed here to Advocate Christ Medical Center on January 8, staying for more than 10 days. And he said the road to recovery is literally step by step.

"I'm not really there yet. I don't feel 100, I feel about 10," Dennis said.

Although he's back home, his wife Shanorah Dennis, says this whole ordeal has been emotionally draining.

"To see him come out the hospital, it hurt me, because he was never supposed to have been there," said Shanorah Dennis.

Being a family man, Dennis said he's never looked for trouble adding that "I'm a truck driver, so I get down on the road and get to where I got to go."

Dennis said it will be a long road to recovery, but his kids are ecstatic he's back home.

"I missed him the whole time," said his five-year-old son Jonah Denis.

The family said Leroy is the sole provider for his wife and children, so they've set up a GoFundMe page where they're aiming to collect $100,000 for his mortgage and bills. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-leroy-dennis-iii-pay-his-mortgage-and-bills.
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.