The video went viral — 2.6M views on @DoBetterDNVR and nearly a million more across other platforms — along with tens of thousands of cruel, shaming comments. Behind it all is just a woman whose life changed in an instant.
A few months ago, I was violently assaulted in broad daylight on Denver’s 16th Street Mall.
I was blindsided and knocked to the ground by an unprovoked, emotionally unstable, and habitually violent vagrant in the middle of a busy construction zone. There were no police on scene — even though nearby shop owners had repeatedly called 911 about his dangerous behavior. What happened to me wasn’t random; it was the result of negligence in an area where the risk was already clear.
That day left me with broken teeth, a damaged jaw, and injuries that now require extensive medical treatment — bone grafts, gum grafts, jaw wiring, and eventually dental implants just to regain my smile and ability to eat normally.
I’m Coming Forward Now
It’s taken me a long time to come forward. At first, I was scared and VERY overwhelmed, and seeing something so traumatic turned into online “content” was shocking. But over the past months, I’ve been finding my strength again. Now I’m finally speaking up. Not out of fear, but to take back my life and start healing.
This isn’t about vanity. It’s about health, function, and restoring a piece of myself that was taken from me that day.
Everything helps : )
The surgeries ahead will cost tens of thousands of dollars — far more than I can manage on my own. By sharing my story here, I’m inviting support in whatever way feels right: whether that’s a donation, sharing this fundraiser, or simply offering encouragement.
Every contribution, every share, and every kind word helps me move forward and reminds me that I’m not alone in this.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for standing with me as I work to heal — physically, emotionally, and financially.
With kindness,
Kaitlyn DuRoss
Here is the link to the post on @dobetterDNVR https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI1aC5yOWMS/
Organizer
Israel Dedina
Organizer
Denver, CO