A Cincinnati woman, known only as Holly, who was brutally assaulted by a group of individuals last month, has publicly expressed her gratitude to those who have shown her support. She stated that the outpouring of love and encouragement has not only sustained her through this difficult time but also restored her faith in humanity.
Holly, a single mother, was severely beaten in an incident that was captured on video and subsequently went viral. The footage showed a group of men, primarily African American, surrounding Holly and another unidentified man, both of whom are white. Holly, still visibly bearing the physical scars of the attack, revealed that she is still in the process of recovery, suffering from significant brain trauma.
One of the alleged attackers, Montianez Merriweather, 34, has asserted that he was subjected to racial slurs and spat on prior to the incident. The video shows Holly and the unidentified man being punched and stomped on as they lay on the ground. Blood can be seen pouring from Holly’s mouth.
Merriweather, along with Jermaine Matthews, 39, and bystander Dekyra Vernon, 24, were among those arrested and charged with felonious assault, assault, and aggravated riot. Vernon is believed to have been the woman who initially struck Holly in the back of the head before a man punched her directly in the face.
Family members of the alleged attackers have since attempted to frame the incident as a racial issue, arguing that the attention and outrage it has garnered is due to the race of those involved. They claim that if the victim had been an African American woman, the incident would not have received the same level of attention.
Holly, who suffered severe facial bruising in addition to brain trauma, has described her recovery as “very, very hard.” She has expressed her heartfelt thanks to those who have contributed to her GiveSendGo fundraiser, which has raised over $170,000 to date.