Our friend was shot - please donate

Monday, September 19th was a day like any other, until our friend became the victim of a random act of violence, that left her with life-threatening injuries. Sydney was out and about in the Mission that day and was standing outside, waiting to get tattooed at Old Town Tattoo, when at 6:30pm, a gun was fired from on 23rd & Valencia. Multiple bullets pierced Sydney as she was chatting with a friend on the sidewalk, one through her abdomen and the other through her right wrist. Paramedics made it to the scene and administered life-saving triage care, and she was rushed to SF General Hospital to undergo emergency surgery. Sydney sustained damage to her colon and small intestine and had to have 30 centimeters of her small intestines removed. The damage to her right wrist caused her to lose sensation to her hand and renders her unable to work for the foreseeable future. She is currently being monitored in the ICU as she begins the intensive recovery process.

Many witnessed the event and the investigation is still active.

If you've been out to eat in San Francisco, it's likely that Syd has served you food or made you a drink at the bar. She is immediately recognizable by her mane of golden hair and her raucous laugh. The service industry in San Francisco is small and tight-knit, and Syd is a vivacious member of the community and an absolute rock amongst her friends. Like many of us, Sydney is a transplant to the Bay and has lived here happily for over 10 years. She graduated from SFSU in 2016 and has lived and worked all over the city, from the Sunset to Mission to Fillmore to Downtown.

Sydney brings energy and life into every room she walks into. She always shows up for her friends and makes people feel included and valued. Those who know and love Sydney can't wait until she is back on her feet.

Unfortunately, the physical, mental, and financial burdens of this event are sure to be heavy. This could have happened to anyone of us, and we are determined to rally around Syd and help relieve as much of that burden as possible. Her road to recovery will be challenging, but Sydney is fiercely resilient. All donations will go directly to Syd to help with medical bills, treatments, and any residual financial setbacks she may experience.