Shawna’s Surgery

Please help my sister-in-law to be, Shawna.  She has suffered massive facial (and psychological) trauma after being repeatedly punched by a total stranger with road rage, over a parking space.  Shawna and her closest friends and family went away for a bachelorette weekend and this stranger ruined her wedding and could have quite easily killed her.The assailant is allegedly about 6'5", 280 pounds, while Shawna is a very, very petite woman.  We are all deeply grateful that Shawna, Kristee and Christina all made it home after this attack in one piece.

This terrible situation has been made even more unfortunate because John and Shawna will have to postpone their wedding and honeymoon as a result of this brutal, vicious attack.  She absolutely must have surgery by this Friday, August 24th 2012.  To add insult to injury, much of their money is tied up in wedding related deposits/costs.  Shawnas family is working to get these deposits returned, in which case they will be left without having the funds to have the wedding celebration they have planned for so long.

To reconstruct the bones in her face, the surgeon will make an incision from one ear to the other, all the way across her head and rebuild her nose, nasal cavity, forehead and brow bone. The surgery alone will cost $6,000 out of pocket and is due on Friday. It may be a fairly lengthy recovery process, but we are all hoping and praying for the best.

I am asking for monetary donations in any amount you can spare and am eternally grateful for the caring, love and support that we have received already.  John and Shawna are a young couple just starting to build a modest life together and need all the help we can give them.  I am unsure of future medical costs and know that any amount of money at this time is a major burden for the soon-to-be newlyweds and their families.  

My hope is that my little brother and his bride will triumph over this evil and that they will indeed have their wedding and have even more to celebrate than their nuptials.  I have every hope that the newlyweds and those near and dear to their hearts will come to celebrate a beautiful couple, life, love, hope, survival, the power of prayer and the charity of others.

With my deepest respect and admiration,

Nennette Barriga

(John's Sister and Shawna's future sister-in-law)