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Liz Kari has set up a GoFundMe page for her mom, Vilma, who was the victim of a vicious assault on W43rd Street in Hell’s Kitchen earlier this week.
The fund, with a target of $20,000, has already raised over $90,000 from more than 2,400 donors worldwide.
Liz Kari said that her 65-year-old mom is “humbled by the outpouring of messages and support from not only our friends and family, but from the kind souls all over the world.” Liz added that her mom “is safe and in good spirits. Although the healing process will not be easy, she has always been a resilient role model for me. We are hopeful that in time she will make a full recovery.”
She added: “The security video that has gone viral has been the most difficult thing to watch, apart from the crime itself. There were many times that I wish someone would have stepped in.”
She praised a bystander who was not visible in the security video. “What this video did not capture was that there was someone who was standing across the street that witnessed my mom getting attacked who yelled and screamed to get the assailant’s attention,” Liz shared. “The video cuts off as the attacker crossed the street to him. To this person, I understand your decision in remaining anonymous during this time. I want to THANK YOU for stepping in and doing the right thing. This gesture of action is what we need in our world right now. I hope one day, my mom and I can thank you personally.”
The New York Police Department Commisioner Dermot Shea has been vocal in his criticism of a system that allowed the man accused of the crime, Brandon Elliot, to be allowed to live in a hotel used as a homeless shelter. Elliot was arrested Wednesday and charged with assault and a hate crime.
The GoFundMe campaign will help to pay for Vilma Kari’s treatment and also support other Asian Americans who have been victims of hate crime.