Veteran Hume councillor Jack Ogilvie remains in hospital after having a severe stroke last week.
The Sunbury-based councillor was helping organise a community event when he took a turn on July 6.
He was taken by ambulance to Sunshine Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Melbourne for surgery.
Fellow councillor Jack Medcraft said Cr Ogilvie, who returned to Sunshine Hospital on Thursday, was sitting up in bed, talking and in good spirits.
‘‘The doctors are astounded,’’ Cr Medcraft said. ‘‘He’s defying the medical odds.’’
Cr Medcraft said Cr Ogilvie’s family was ‘‘holding up well’’.
Earlier in the week, Cr Medcraft said Cr Ogilvie had been under a lot of pressure in recent weeks.
‘‘We just want to see him back doing what he loves doing and that’s working for his community,’’ Cr Medcraft said.
‘‘That’s exactly what he was doing when this happened.’’
Hume chief executive Domenic Isola said Cr Ogilvie was in council’s thoughts.
‘‘We wish him a speedy recovery,’’ he said.
Mr Isola said residents who needed to speak about council matters were encouraged to contact other councillors in Jacksons Creek ward.
Cr Ogilvie, who is president of Sunbury Lions Football Club, has been a major player in many community initiatives since the mid-1980s. A former Hume mayor, he was first elected to the old Bulla council in 1990.
