UPDATE: Road to recovery after Redondo Beach bar fight

In Sunday's Daily Breeze, we had an update about Matthew Klaus, the 24-year-old El Camino Village man who spent nearly a month in a coma after he was punched and knocked down nearly seven months ago in a Redondo Beach bar. Here's the story.

Our phones aren't working at the Daily Breeze, so I'm not sure what telephone messages are awaiting me. I was able to retrieve a couple yesterday, including one from a Palos Verdes Peninsula man who said he was really touched by Klaus' outlook and optimism in the face of such a difficult recovery. He wanted to help, so I put him in touch with the family.

I also talked with Klaus, who said his former girlfriend, who was mentioned in the story, called him after it ran. He seemed really pleased to hear from her and, although she didn't shed any insight on to the events that led to his injury, she expressed her wishes for a speedy recovery, he said.

His mother, Renate Klaus, said she has received a lot of calls and messages in response to the story from well-wishers, too. She wanted to be sure to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers - now and in the really difficult weeks following the incident. She especially has a soft-spot in her heart for the paramedics, who responded so quickly, and the hospital's doctors and medical staff - all of who helped save her son's life.

In the comments following the story at Dailybreeze.com, there is some criticism about the reporting - specifically the lack of information from the police:

"It also made the Redondo Beach police look lame. Perhaps they did a lousy job investigating it , resulting in the suspect 'getting away' with it.(But that is probably not the case).

"Lame reporting , lame editing. Lame daily breeze." - From That Was Lame Reporting in Lawndale

Unfortunately, I could not reach the investigator to get an update, but I do know that there wasn't much to report by way of a suspect in custody from the family and other sources. That Was Lame also wanted more information about why charges were dropped against the man arrested. It was pretty simple - it wasn't him.

We wish Klaus well and thank him for sharing his story with us, and you.

Previously:

Mistaken identity leads to dismissal of Redondo Beach bar fight case