‘I feel angry and confused’

That’s how Evangeline Agtarap Claassens, wife for 15 years of 60-year-old Dr. Francois Claassens, feels these days.

In an interview with Saipan Tribune yesterday, Mrs. Claassens also said that, according to two doctors in Guam, her husband is slowly showing signs of progress.

“They will try to take the life support off today to see if he is able to go without it,” she said.

Mrs. Claassens said she feels angry because their two minor children are suffering, having witnessed the attack. She is also confused why her husband has to suffer, which in turn affects their children’s wellbeing.

“It’s not necessary. I don’t know. I can’t sleep. I just want to be awake for my kids all the time, watching them even in their sleep,” she said.

Mrs. Claassens said their son is in denial and would ask her permission if he is allowed to get mad at Pono, the nickname of suspect William Mathewson.

“He has no clue. Oftentimes he sits in the corner, breaks down and wants his Dad. But he is a brave boy. Hopefully I will not have to deal with trust issues as a result of what he saw,” she said.

Mrs. Claassens said she can’t rationalize why Mathewson, who is such a good friend of her husband, would do such a horrific act.

Mathewson, a 36-year-old farmer/fisherman, allegedly stabbed Dr. Claassens in the neck with a fishing spear and whacked his head with a chain and a big black pot.

The victim’s son reportedly saw the attack as he was about to serve coffee to his father and Mathewson.

The attack happened in the back of the doctor’s house in Teneto Village on Rota on Saturday morning.

When police arrested Mathewson at the scene, he reportedly smelled of alcohol. He reportedly told a police officer that he wants to watch the doctor die and that’s what Dr. Claassens gets for destroying his family.

Dr. Claassens is the only physician assigned at the Rota Health Center.

Mrs. Claassens told Saipan Tribune that when the incident happened, she had just arrived in Guam from a trip to Honolulu. She said she heard about the incident on Saturday at the Guam airport while she was on her way to Rota to see her family.

Mrs. Claassens said the Rota Commonwealth Health Center called to inform her not to fly home but to just wait at the U.S. Naval Hospital instead for her husband because they’re bringing him over via a Navy helicopter.

“I got confused and worried,” she recalled.

She said the doctors and nurses both at Naval Hospital and Guam Memorial Hospital were great and that her husband is being attended to by the best medical team.

Mrs. Claassens said words cannot express how grateful she is for the support she has received from the community and everybody that supports their family.

“My husband could not have made it to survive without the community and I will be forever indebted to everybody,” she added.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. CEO Esther Muña confirmed with Saipan Tribune late afternoon yesterday that Dr. Claassens remains in critical condition but his health is improving.

Muña said she had spoken with Dr. Claassens’ wife and confirmed that he is breathing on his own but still needs the ventilator.

“The injuries he sustained were a near miss to his artery. However CHCC remains in support of Dr. Claassen’s recovery and we are hopeful that he is revived soon,” she said.

CHCC employees and its departments and health centers continue to hope and pray for Dr. Claassens’ quick recovery, she added.

“We are hopeful for Dr. Claassen’s quick recovery and we will continue to pray for him,” she said.

Muña noted that in providing help to the Rota Health Center, rotation will begin this week in hopes to alleviate RHC’s lack of physicians. (With Jayson Camacho)