An entrepreneur from Astoria was savagely beaten during a random attack by a man wielding a baseball bat while he was stuck in traffic last month.
U.S. Navy veteran Gabe Jimenez was in his car near Astoria Park on the morning of June 15 when he was assaulted by a man who smashed the left side of his face with an aluminum baseball bat. He is currently recovering after undergoing extensive facial surgery.
Warning: Graphic imagery ahead showing face injuries.
His friend Roxanna Barrios has organized a GoFundMe campaign which has raised nearly $20,000 in two days to support Jiminez as he recovers from his injuries.
“He has been in recovery since the incident,” Barrios wrote. “He underwent extensive surgery and has been unable to go about his regular activities, which include his job as a personal trainer in Astoria, and running his newly-opened gym in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The loss of income has been significant and unmanageable. To make matters more complex, Gabe needs at least two more, if not multiple other surgeries to manage his facial reconstruction.”
Jimenez is currently experiencing double vision, a loss of sensation over his left cheek, and decreased movement of the muscle of his left nose and left lip, Barrios added. One of his surgeons said the victim could have suffered more serious repercussions such as loss of vision, brain hemorrhage, and even death from his injuries.
Besides the cost of his medical expenses, Jiminez has rent to pay and a new business to run.
“We want him to get back on his feet,” Barrios wrote. “Please consider contributing, and any amount is greatly appreciated. As a community, there is so much we can do together for our friend.”
