Raiders fans to help raise money for teen shooting victim
RICHMOND: Shooting victim facing challenges bigger than her wounds
Katie Utehs/KTVU.com
RICHMOND, Calif. — A 19-year-old Richmond woman who was hit by a stray bullet earlier this month has been getting better, though she’s facing a new challenge: finding a place to live.
Two weeks ago, a stray bullet traveled through the wall of Dominique Romero family's home on Waller Avenue. It went through Romero's arm and lodged in her spine, thereby paralyzing her from the waist down.
Though she faces hours of grueling physical therapy and a mountain of medical bills, her cousin Sarena Simonin told KTVU on Saturday that Romero was worried about finding a place to live.
“The helicopter bill alone was $20,000,” said Simonin. “She’s 19 years old; she should be focusing on healing.”
John Muir Medical Center was expected to discharge Romero soon and as of Saturday, the family is struggling to find a place for her to go.
“She doesn't want to go to a place that was once called home where she got shot,” said Simonin. “You can't come here because you're arms still in a cast or you can't come here because you don't have any insurance. You can't come here because you can't afford to be here.”
But as Romero’s family scrambles to find her a new home, support for her is coming from family of a different kind: the Raider Nation. The tailgating group “Make Oakland Better,” also known as the 66th Street Mob, said on Saturday that they wanted to help.
“We're not just a tailgate; we're a community driven tailgate,” said Godfather Griz Jones, spokesperson for Make Oakland Better. “Regardless of what the team’s record is, Raider fans are die-hard. We are raider fans and we're fans of humanity.”
Along with Romero's family, the tailgaters be collecting donations at Sunday's Raiders’ game.
Romero’s family was working Saturday on putting together t-shirts. They've also created teal ribbons to help spread the word; teal is reportedly one of Romero’s favorite colors.
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