London business owner in a coma, intensive care after falling off bicycle
A London, Ont. business owner is in a coma after falling off his bike this past weekend in the city’s north end.
Family members tell CTV News London 39-year-old Ali Azizi would have left his pizza shop, Smiley’s Pizzeria, at about 1 a.m. Sunday morning, heading north on Adelaide Street. Before he got home though, a bystander found him lying unconscious on the sidewalk, bleeding from his head.
Azizi’s family members say it is unclear how he ended up there.
“The doctors are not sure,” says Shabir Shahram, a relative. “They say they’re going to do some testing and see if he was unconscious first and then fell on the ground, or if this was caused by an accident. If it’s a hit-and-run.”
It’s believed Azizi was lying on the sidewalk for about a half hour before he was found, Shahram says. Police were then called and he was taken to Victoria Hospital, where he is undergoing multiple brain surgeries.
Ali Azizi being treated at Victoria Hospital’s intensive care unit, as seen on August 7, 2022. (Source: Shabir Shahram)Despite being in a coma, Azizi is in stable condition, according to Shahram.
“Last time I spoke to [the doctors], it’s probably three to four months’ recovery, the way it is,” he says. “We are just praying and hoping for the best for him and his family.”
“I was crying because he is my best friend,” says Wasae Oqaab, who also works at Smiley’s Pizzeria. “I don’t believe this happened.”
Azizi is married, with three young children. To help cover some of his potential recovery costs, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up.
CTV News London has reached out to London police for comment on any investigation, but is yet to receive a response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
WATCH LIVE 'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.