Anne Pressly Improving and Fought Attacker, Father Says
Dad says Anne Pressly fought attacker and questions "random" attack.
Oct. 24, 2008 — -- During an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America," TV anchorwoman Anne Pressly's father, Guy Cannady, said that his daughter is "continuing to improve" and that "some of the bruising and swelling are beginning to subside," although the 26-year-old remains verbally unresponsive.
Potentially fatal swelling in her brain "seems to be under control," according to Pressly's neurosurgeon Dr. Brad Thomas.
Pressly was attacked in her Little Rock, Ark., home Monday and suffered blunt force trauma to her head and upper body that doctors say broke nearly every bone in her face. Her left hand was also broken, leading Cannady to suspect she fought her attacker.
Police have no suspects.
Cannady, although content with the Little Rock Police Department's investigation so far, said he is unconvinced by investigators' treatment of the incident as a "random" robbery.
"It's so hard to understand," he said. "Why would anybody vandalize and brutalize somebody to this extent? There are items missing from the home. The severity of the injuries and brutality of the attack in my own mind calls into question the motive."
Brad Garrett, a former FBI agent and ABC News contributor, said the attack has many earmarks related to stalking.
"Someone who is struck multiple times tends to lend itself to someone who had an obsession with her or knew her, because it's personal versus someone who was going to steal," Garrett told "GMA."
"Stalking or bothering people is a fairly common thing for people who have daily exposure to the public on television. It tees the ball up for that type of personality that wants to create some fantasy world."
Pressly appears on "Daybreak," a morning show at ABC News Little Rock affiliate KATV.
Support From Around the World
Cannady told "GMA" that he attributes his daughter's survival to her "driven, strong-willed" nature as well as an outpouring of support from around the globe.
"We've literally had tens of thousands of people from all over the world, as far away as Ethiopia. ... Offering their thoughts and prayers," he said.
One of those letters came from Oliver Stone, director of the movie "W.," in which Pressly has a small part.
"Keep fighting," the letter said. "You're a winner."