A B.C. man who was hit on the head with a longboard late last month remains in a hospital-induced coma, while his 15-year-old alleged attacker walks free.

Single father Michael Forry was struck outside a Kamloops 7-Eleven on March 24 during a confrontation with a group of teenagers.

The 46-year-old fell to the ground unconscious, and has been in hospital ever since. His family told CTV News they worry they might never hear his voice again.

“He’s had the left side of his skull removed to allow the brain swelling and bleeding to have somewhere to go,” the victim’s sister Ann Forry said. “His brain is still very swollen, at a point where they can’t take him out of the coma.”

The devastated family is also frustrated with Mounties for issuing a news release that painted Forry as the potential instigator.

Shortly before the confrontation, Forry was a passenger in a vehicle that honked at a group of teenagers for jaywalking. When one of the teen’s allegedly hit the vehicle, the driver followed them into a 7-Eleven parking lot.

According to the RCMP’s release, Forry allegedly got out, pushed a 17-year-old girl to the ground and turned toward a 15-year-old boy before he was bashed on the head.

But witness Bev Collins, who was contacted by CTV News, insists the youth was the aggressor.

Collins said the teen swung his longboard at Forry, but missed. Another man then stepped in to break things up, giving the boy plenty of time to walk away.

“Instead he chose to go around this guy that broke it up, went over and swung his longboard at [Forry], hit him, and swung it again.”

The boy then allegedly went into the 7-Eleven, called the incident “self-defence” and then laughed about it, the witness claims.

Collins didn’t see Forry push a girl, but said she did see one enter the convenience store and ask for a phone to call the RCMP.

Sgt. Grant Learned said Mounties are still gathering evidence about the altercation, and are taking the case very seriously.

“This has been investigated, as we stated at the onset, as an aggravated assault with a weapon. Nothing has changed that,” Learned said.

But in the meantime, Forry’s family feels they’ve been forgotten.

Ann Forry said they still haven’t been contacted by any members of the RCMP, even though there’s a 13-year-old girl, Forry’s daughter, to consider.  

“I left a message for the RCMP, whoever’s in charge to call me,” Forry said. “They said oh yeah, he’ll be back on Friday. This was last Friday. He never called.”

Mounties admit their victims’ services unit should have been in contact with the Forrys sooner, but are asking for patience with their probe.

While no one has been charged, a source close to the investigation told CTV News they expect the 15-year-old will be eventually.

With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Kent Molgat