Wednesday, March 13, 2013

I Have a Dream

Balloons from Norris
Hey everyone, thank you for all the support you have given me through this rough patch. My living room looked like a flower shop with stuffed animals, balloons, cards, flowers and other random articles of affection all my loved ones brought me. 

I'd like to let you know what happened with the case...

Alonzo McDonel was the guy that attacked me. He was caught 5 days after he brutally beat me to the ground and left me for dead. He was caught because he and his friends did this to a few other people. He ended up getting stabbed by the guy he was beating up and had to go to the hospital. The hospital notified the police about his stab wound and the police investgated from there. 
From Eileen & Heather

When he and 5 of his friends shamelessly committed this crime, they were at the same place I was and used the same weapons. The awesome Detroit police force was able to link the crimes and took Alonzo to court for these 2 cases and 3 others.

Originally, he was charged with 2 accounts of Assault with intent to do great bodily harm, 2 accounts of robbery and 2 accounts of Assault with a danagous weapon. He was not charged for breaking into and robbing the car.
From Mystery Person!!??

He was finally charged with 3 accounts of armed robbery. He will serve all for 3 accounts at once. The judge gave him 8 to 20 years in prison. If he makes it out in 8 years, he will be 26 years old and could come back to society either good or bad. He could stay for 20 years which would make him 38 when he gets out.  Yet, I will live my whole life without my sense of security.  Is it possible for this guy to change enough to where he could be fit to live in our society?  I doubt that; it was way too easy for him to hit a girl. Just how calm he was doing it was freighting, like this was his daily routine. I'm 5'2, I'm not exactly a threat but later on, I found out that it was not only the two guys there but a whole group of guys. Yet, they felt the need to rob us with potentially lethal weapons?  

I believe his actions were primarily to harm me, robbing me was secondary. The fact that this 18 year old boy had a smile on his face when he brutally beat me to the ground makes me believe that he is an angry sociopath seeking revenge on the world by preying on the innocent. 

I don't think this guy could ever evolve enough for me to feel he is adequate to walk the same streets our sons and daughters live on.  If he got away with this, his next victims would probably get it worse. The ultimate robbery is robbing someones life. If he had no regard for my life, he will probably have little mercy on others.  I don't believe this kid will ever be fit to enter our society.

As of right now, the guy who attacked my friend roams the streets. If he is smart, he probably took off. Who knows, I think it is only a matter of time before he gets caught.

My Recovery

Physically, I have been healing like a champ. I still stand the chance of losing 4 of my teeth. The bone has healed for the most part and after it does, I will need braces to correct the aligning. I look like I use to with minor imperfections in my smile that my wonder brother Matthew and his excellent team of dentists are going to correct. 
From Merwan & Kathy

Though I look like I use to, my internal well being has been compromised.  I have been dealing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  PTSD is an anxiety disorder associated with serious traumatic events and characterized by such symptoms as survivor guilt, reliving the trauma in dreams, numbness and lack of involvement with reality, or recurrent thoughts and images. 

I never experienced anxiety attacks until this experience.  I had/have to relearn to trust that not every stranger has hidden agenda that involves some sort of attack on me or my loved ones.  My fear is specifically in men or anyone that looks anything like my attacker.  I remember the look in his eyes, it's true that the eyes are windows into the soul.  
From Rita & Chochie

What my previous post failed to report was that I saw him about a half hour before he attack me.  I looked directly into his eyes as he slowly jogged passed me.  I instantly knew he was up to no good, but I though I was prejudging him because I am this white girl from the suburbs in the middle of Detroit and was freighted by the stereotype of Detroit thugs. I knew I was easy prey. What I saw in his eyes was a darkness, a cold feeling of predator scouting out his prey. I should have trusted my instinct and to a point, I did. The car was in the direction he was heading to, so we went the way.  
From Michael <3

I relive this experience in my dreams. I have recurring thought and images.  I also find myself locked in my room separating my existences from reality. A week after the attack, I saw a hearse driving by with all the little cars following it.  I felt like I was watching a scary movie but it was actually my life. I saw what could have happened to me. At the same time, an ambulance went by and all I was thinking about was without that ambulance what would have happened?  Could that have been my body in that hearse, those cars would have been my family and friends going to MY funeral.  What if the hits were reversed that instead of breaking my jaw, it broken my skull?  
From Danio

I have come to a more intense understanding that I am not immortal; I will die one day. Just because I am young doesn't mean I get to have another tomorrow.  There are bad people in this world, I just never physically saw it with my own eyes like this.  But I did more than see it, I lived it.  An 18 year old kid was so heartless he could hit a girl to the point where she is severely bleeding and just leave her there to die.  How could he be so inhumane? What made him this way? Why does he have no compassion?
From Chochie and Rita

I did some research and found out that compassion and empathy has to be taught between the ages of 3-6 or it will never be learned. Alonzo had no mother or father and never learned these vital human characteristics.  It makes me think he is a victim too.  Only he suffers worse consequences from being a victim. He is a psychopath because our society did not foster him into a human.  Maybe if he was taught empathy, he would have never done this?  
From Aunt Dolly and
Aunt Loretta

We make a big deal about schools having sports programs, art programs, but we don't have a class specializing in building character?  What if we put anger management in schools?  What if we had character building hour?  What if parents had to go through training to inform them for how empathy and guilt work?  Could that change the world as we know it?  No child left behind? What about pro-social behavior?  Math and reading skills sound so unimportant in comparison to having pro-social behavior.  What is the point in suspending a child or giving them detention?  Instead of suspending them or giving the detention, maybe they should have to spend time in anger management classes or some kind of therapy. 
From Chochie and Rita

I want to hear from you.  Please leave comments on this topic.  If the world could stop raising children that turn into monsters, maybe we could live a little more free.  That is what America is about right?  The desire of freedom is what made this country what it is today.  Let's earn our freedom by investing in the youth. 

I have a dream that one day Detroit will rise.  I have a dream that all the youth will be given the opportunity to better their character.  Let us not raise monster, let us raise people we can be proud of.  People that care for their neighbors, that smile to strangers, and that model pro-social behavior. I understand it will take time and money, but it is worth all the time and money in the world.  I want my freedom back; please write me or leave comments. 

I truly appreciate everyone who reads this story. I am thankful for every single person who cared to share my story because it disturbed them. I am so thankful to be alive to share this with you. 

March 2013





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