An 18-year-old
transgender man, Kristian Rouse, was
brutally attacked in Bakersfield, California. The attack hospitalized
him for a month afterward. Thus far, police haven’t mentioned any suspects or
made any arrests.
According to
Rouse’s mother, Euryduce Darrington, Rouse used to call to check in with her
every day. One day he didn’t call, so Darrington and her son’s ex-girlfriend
went to his apartment to see if he was okay.
The pair
couldn’t get inside the apartment, so Rouse’s ex climbed onto his balcony and
saw Rouse lying on the floor through the window.
“My child was
laying on the floor,” said Darrington. “He could barely speak, barely breathe.
He had marks around his neck, his face was swollen, he had bruises on his torso
and his back and his shirt was off. He’s transgender and that is not a nice
thing to do.”
Rouse ended up
hospitalized on a ventilator for four weeks. Though he has since been admitted
to a long-term acute care hospital in Covina, he still can’t fully use his
right arm or leg, and he’s unable to talk because of scar tissue in his throat.
According to
the GoFundMe
set up to cover his hospitalization costs, Rouse has undergone a
tracheotomy and will need surgery to remove the aforementioned scar tissue. He
is a high school student who was set to graduate this year. The GoFundMe has
raised over double its initial goal of $25,000.
“Kristian so
appreciates the love and support that he is receiving and so do I,” Darrington
wrote on his GoFundMe campaign. “Kristian is my sweet and precious baby boy and
this ordeal has been a terrible nightmare for both of us. Kristian is a warrior
and he is fighting every day to get better. He has an EXTREMELY tough and VERY
long road to recovery ahead. Please continue to send positive energy and love
for him and this Mommy whose heart is shattered in a million pieces.”
Here is a video
of Rouse re-learning how to walk following his attack:
SOURCE: LGBTQ NATION
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