UPDATE: Since a few people have asked an alternative way to give, my venmo is @rjthomas97.

TW: alcohol, possible drugging, possible assault

Hello friends, my name is Russ and I’m asking for some financial help to get me through this period of recovery. On Monday night, 11/4/2024, I went to a concert in Downtown Brooklyn and was either drugged and/or assaulted shortly after.

I woke up in a hospital covered in my own blood and was irresponsibly discharged in the middle of the night while I was still intoxicated. Without knowing where I was, and not having my phone or wallet on me (they were either lost or stolen), and still being incredibly confused/disoriented, I got lost in Brooklyn and ended up near JFK. It wasn’t until around 5:00 am that I started having coherent memories and managed to find my way home via subway. I had my last drink at the concert no later than 10:30 pm. This is not normal for me.

I woke up the next morning and went to the emergency room. During a 10-hour stay, I did CT scans as well as a rape kit, and it was determined that I had two fractures in my mandible and bruising on my skull. I have no other bruises, cuts, or scrapes on the rest of my body, indicating that it likely wasn’t a fall. The doctors I talked with said it was probable assault, and that’s what I was discharged with.

I’m now asking for financial support to help me recover after this scary incident. I will require oral surgery to install a metal plate to heal one fracture, and my jaw will be wired shut for 4-6 weeks for my other fracture. As such, I am humbly asking for support with medical bills, prescriptions, Ubers to/from appointments, and other related expenses to help me get through the next two months or so as seamlessly as possible.

I’m forever grateful for those who have reached out and are already kicking it into high gear to support me. The road to recovery will take some time but with you all by my side, I know it’ll feel like a blink of an eye.