March 28, 2026. That is the day the world went dark. It was the day I learned that the senseless violence you see in movie, the kind of nightmare you assume only happens to strangers, can hunt you down in your own neighbourhood.

We were supposed to be celebrating. We had just finished packing the car, the seats heavy with gear and equipment for the 5th edition of our Hip-hop and Streetdance community festival in limerick that I co founded and been working in across Ireland for over 12 years. It was a day meant for music, Dj, streetdance, movement, graffiti, art, unity and having fun for all regardless of race, religion, gender, age and ability Instead, it became the end of life as I knew it.

As I tried to leave my estate, a man sat waiting in his car at the exit. He was parked carelessly, tires on the footpath, trapping traffic and creating a chaos in an already small space, with road works. After a brief exchange of gesture, something snapped in him. He chose me.

He tailed me through the streets of Limerick, chasing me toward a well-known roundabout where he finally forced his way in front of me, swerving to cut off any hope of escape. I watched, paralyzed, as he stepped out of his vehicle wielding a wooden bat.

He began to beat my car, then he struck and shattered the driver’s side window with the wooden bat which exploded shards of glass, like tiny knives, sprayed across my face and buried themselves deep into both of my eyes.

The Aftermath:

I am now facing a long, agonizing road of surgeries just to cling to a fraction of the vision I once took for granted. The damage is not just physical, it is permanent.

• The Damage: My iris was sliced in half and had to be meticulously stitched back together.

• The Complications: I am battling an onset cataract and a ruptured lens capsule, both of which must be surgically removed.

• The Future: I am currently facing the first of four major emergency operations. Even if every single procedure is a success, I will never see the world clearly again, which ultimately affects my job, work, dance, social interaction and confidence.

Once the surgeons have finished rebuilding what was destroyed, and once the wounds have finally scarred over, I will be left to wait. Only then will I know how much of the light I get to keep, and how much of it was stolen by a stranger with a wooden bat on that Saturday afternoon. Appreciate any contributions and please stay safe out there.