A Families Worst Nightmare

What should have been a typical Wednesday night ended in blood shed. On 5/17/2023 just before midnight, shots filled what was once a busy home when someone the whole family considered a friend shot the family dog, 9-year-old CJ, his childhood friend of more than 25 years, 45-year-old Derek, 71-year-old John, and 15-year-old nephew. As medics arrived and tried to assess the horrific situation, Derek and His nephew clung to life and were flown to separate trauma centers in Tampa in unstable critical conditions fighting for their lives. Derek suffered two gunshot wounds to the ear and eye shattering his occipital bone, his jaw, his nose, and his cheek. His nephew was asleep in his bed when the man shot him twice, the first one only grazing his neck and the second at point-blank range entering through his frontal lobe just above his eyebrow and exiting his parietal lobe in the back causing significant brain damage with unknown consequences as he remains in a medically induced coma on life support in critical condition. The heart and soul of the Redmond family and a true bright spot to anyone lucky enough to have known him lost his life in a heroic effort to save his family as John Redmond succumbed to his injuries suffering six shots in total taking with him the family dog who also lost her life suffering two gunshot wounds.

As the family reels from such a senseless act, they are also faced with the task of laying to rest the heart of their family, while remaining at their nephew’s bedside hoping and praying for any improvement. Derek will face a long road as he struggles to recover facing many obstacles as the follow-up treatment and care will be significant and distant the family has rallied together borrowing vehicles when necessary to allow his recovery both physically, thanks to wonderful physicians and mentally thanks to the relentless efforts of the detectives and state attorney assigned to the case.

John was the foundation of the Redmond family so we are asking for help with funeral and service costs along with transportation, medical expenses, clean-up and repairs as they remain committed to once again being able to bring their nephew and Derek home. Please help us ease the financial and emotional burden by donating as little or as much as you can or even just leaving words of support and sympathy, or stories of times with John for the entire Redmond family (Derek, Tracey, Scott, Todd, Jason and their nephew) that face the uncertain road left in the aftermath of a senseless act committed on what should have been a typical Wednesday night.