Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Roy Horn leaves Nevada for rehabilitation after attack

Mauled illusionist who had stroke moved to UCLA treatment center, sources say

Injured illusionist Roy Horn was transferred from the University Medical Center Trauma Center to another medical facility Tuesday.

Hospital officials and a spokesman for Siegfried & Roy declined to specify where Horn is being treated. However, three sources said the 59-year-old magician was taken to a rehabilitation center at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Officials declined to say why Horn was transferred from UMC, where he had been treated since he was mauled by a tiger during an Oct. 3 performance of Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage.

In a prepared statement, Siegfried & Roy manager Bernie Yuman praised UMC Trauma Center employees and said Horn was transferred to another medical facility for further evaluation.

"We are both grateful and awed by the outpouring of love and prayers from Las Vegas and around the globe, and know that this support has played a crucial role in Roy's recovery," Yuman said in the statement.

Horn's Las Vegas neurosurgeon, Dr. Derek Duke, declined to discuss any details of his patient's care.

"We have the capabilities of handling acute care locally, but for long-term rehabilitation, sometimes people need to go out of town for services," Duke said.

Hospital officials and Horn's representatives declined to specify when Horn was transferred Tuesday.

About 8:30 p.m. Monday, a UMC nursing supervisor said Horn remained in critical condition at the hospital. But by Tuesday afternoon, UMC officials said they could neither confirm nor deny whether Horn still was a patient.

"At the request of his representatives, we are not releasing any information about him," UMC spokesman Dale Pugh said, referring inquiries to MGM Mirage officials.

Reached in Montreal, MGM spokesman Alan Feldman said he was not aware if Horn had been moved or whether there was a change in his condition.

UCLA offers several rehabilitation and speciality centers, including one for stroke victims. The UCLA Stroke Center was one of the nation's first facilities dedicated to taking care of stroke victims.

The Review-Journal has previously reported that Horn suffered a stroke after being bitten in the neck by Montecore, a 7-year-old white tiger who weighs about 380 pounds

Las Vegas neurosurgeon Lonnie Hammargren told the Review-Journal on Oct. 15 that the magician suffered paralysis on his left side following the attack.

He said such paralysis can be temporary, but to determine Horn's prognosis at that point was hard. "Paralysis can get better after, but he had a pretty big stroke," Hammargren said.

Las Vegas doctors contacted Tuesday said they were puzzled by the transfer of Horn.

"I don't know why you'd want to leave Las Vegas. The care here is superb," said Dr. Tony Alamo, chief of staff at Sunrise Hospital Medical Center.

Other prominent Nevadans have left the state for medical treatment.

In September 2002, Gov. Kenny Guinn had his prostate removed by Dr. Jean B. deKernion, chairman of the Department of Urology at UCLA.

In 1998, then-Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones had breast cancer surgery at the Joyce Eisenberg Keefer Breast Center in Los Angeles, part of St. John's Hospital.

In 1996, then-Gov. Bob Miller had prostate cancer surgery performed by Dr. Stuart Holden of Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

Review-Journal reporters Frank Curreri and J.M. Kalil contributed to this report.