“No family should ever have to go through this”: The daughter of the couple severely wounded at their rural NSW home speaks out on this shocking incident
A sense of shock continues to blanket the village of Torrington (NSW) following a harrowing incident early Thursday morning, in which an elderly couple had to fight for their lives inside their own home against a violent intruder.
Confronting Joshua Dylan Trethewey (34)—who allegedly broke into the isolated property—Keith (75) and his wife Di (72) suffered severe injuries. It is reported that Keith was slashed across the abdomen, while Di was stabbed in the chest. In a moment of extreme peril, Keith, a licensed firearm owner, was forced to shoot the intruder in the stomach after the man allegedly attempted to re-enter the home after having been driven back to the verandah.
Currently, both Mr. and Mrs. Blessing are receiving treatment at Gold Coast University Hospital. Speaking with visible emotion outside the hospital on Friday afternoon, their daughter, Kathy Blessing, could not hide her pride in her parents’ courage. She stated, “We have a long road ahead”. She further emphasized: “This has been deeply traumatising to our family, and no family should ever have to go through this”.
As for the intruder, Joshua Dylan Trethewey was taken to Armidale Hospital and has been charged with two counts of wounding with intent to murder. However, due to his medical condition, he has yet to appear in court.
The incident has not only left the victims’ family devastated but has also sounded an alarm regarding security in the Torrington community—a village of just 77 people with a high median age. Tenterfield Mayor Bronwyn Petrie confirmed that local residents had been “fearful about safety” for some time. Meanwhile, local sentiment currently stands firmly with Keith, with a strong belief that he should not face any criminal charges following his justified act of self-defense.
Kathy Blessing expressed her gratitude for the collective support: “It has been comforting to know we have the support of the wider community”.
