Willmar man continues to suffer complications from November stabbing

Dec. 4—WILLMAR — A Willmar man is still suffering from an incident when he was stabbed multiple times in his apartment in early November.

John Claeys, 26, suffered a hemothorax — blood accumulating around the lung — after being stabbed six to seven times in the chest, stomach, back, neck and in his kidney. He had to be airlifted to St. Cloud for treatment of his injuries, which required two chest tubes and a bowel resection.

Claeys' mom, Kristen Claeys, said he was able to come home on Thanksgiving but has had to return to the hospital for care since he is in so much pain.

He recently has suffered from pneumonia and was prescribed antibiotics as some of his wounds became infected.

While he is in pain, he's thankful to be alive, according to Kristen, who said that an outpouring of community and family support, specifically from his sister, Melanie Larson, has meant a lot.

There is also an online GoFundMe fundraiser that was launched to help Claeys, which has raised almost $2,000 so far.

Claeys, an aspiring artist, is known for helping out in the community and someone told his mother the other day John had recently offered to help carry their groceries.

"He's such a sweetheart," Kristen said.

That helpfulness is how Claeys ended up meeting the person now charged with stabbing him. He was letting Brayan Fabricio Galeas-Hernandez, 17, of Willmar, stay with him.

Galeas-Hernandez has been charged as a juvenile with two counts of felony second-degree assault for allegedly stabbing Claeys. Felony matters against 16- or 17-year-old juveniles are public data.

The next court hearing is set for Jan. 25, 2022, to decide whether Galeas-Hernandez will be charged as an adult. He is currently being held without bail in a secure unit of Prairie Lakes Youth Programs in Willmar.

According to the criminal complaint, a witness told law enforcement that Galeas-Hernandez stabbed Claeys during a fight between the pair Nov. 12 in the man's apartment. The witness told law enforcement he then ran home to his residence across the street from the apartment.

The witness said he had been threatened with a knife by Galeas-Hernandez earlier that day before the two of them went to Claeys' apartment.

"My son is a vulnerable adult and it's just awful," his mother said. "I feel grateful for all the community prayers."

Claeys was first transported to Carris Health — Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar for treatment of the multiple stab wounds. According to the complaint, he suffered a hemothorax, was intubated and then airlifted to CentraCare — St. Cloud Hospital.

Prior to being intubated, he was able to tell law enforcement the first name of his alleged attacker but not his last.

Paperwork with Galeas-Hernandez's name was found in the apartment.

Galeas-Hernandez was taken into custody after a woman brought him into the Law Enforcement Center in Willmar and said she believed he was involved in the stabbing.

He did not make a statement to law enforcement and was transported to a secure unit at the Prairie Lakes Youth Programs where he remains.

Kristen Claeys thinks the stabbing seems premeditated and, to add insult to injury, John Claeys found out his apartment had been broken into while he was hospitalized and multiple items were stolen, including his laptop which held a lot of self-made music.

"I'm an aspiring musician who wants to encourage people to do what they want to do in their life and empower people to not waste their time. Time is precious," John Claeys said.