Bombing victim Maria Mitousis says 'I'm not going to stop'

Maria Mitousis, who lost a hand in an explosion at her Winnipeg law office one week ago, says she's determined to get back to work, but she adds: "I just don't know how that'll look just yet."

While she's not ready to conduct media interviews, Mitousis spoke to police on Thursday and asked them to pass along some information.

Spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said Mitousis met with some members of the police service at her bedside on Thursday, and "from the onset of our meeting, Maria repeatedly emphasized her appreciation for all the support from so many people."

That support has allowed her to maintain as positive an attitude as she can and to look forward to resuming her career as soon as she is able.

"I'm doing great, but I'm not doing great," she said. "I'm not going to stop. I'm going to come back to do what I do, I just don't know how that'll look just yet."

Maria then openly began describing her numerous injuries in detail, Michalyshen said.

"We can confirm Maria lost her right hand while seriously injuring her left," he said. "She sustained countless injuries to her face, chest and thighs due to the blast. This brief description doesn't come close to expressing the pain and suffering she is going through at this time, both mentally and physically."

Incredibly resilient

What became most evident is that Mitousis is an incredibly resilient person who manages to find humour even in the wake of the tragedy, Michalyshen said.

He reported Mitousis saying she had played golf the morning before the blast and had been getting quite good at it. She was a right-handed player.

"If all goes well, I'll have to become left handed," she told Michalyshen, noting she doesn't know for sure if her left hand will be saved.

Mitousis also described the moments after the device exploded, saying she did a quick self-assessment, "I have my teeth, I can see, I can blink."

While en route to the hospital, she said she recalls thinking: "I'm going to get past this, I live in the moment. I'm going to get past this."

Mitousis underwent 10½ hours of surgery and praised the care she has received in hospital.

"Everyday strangers [staff] walk in and make me feel comfortable," she said.

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While she recognizes the impact the incident had on her own life, Mitousis is also mindful of how it has affected the local legal community.

She urged colleagues to not let her experience scare them from the job, and she encouraged new lawyers to not be deterred from practising family law.

"This is not a personal attack on what we do; keep doing it," she told Michalyshen.