Friday, October 28, 2005

Dwan Prince goes home

Back in September, when I posted a series of entries on my thoughts on the 4th year anniversary of the murder of Eddie Garzon, I finished by trying to draw attention to other violent attacks against people in the community, most of which also received limited coverage by mainstream media - including Dwan Prince, who was beaten up into a coma on June 9th in Brooklyn by three men who did not like the fact he was gay.

A local news blurb by Andy Humm in this week's Gay City News brings us the great news that Dwan has actually left the hospital and gone home to continue his recovery. Accoring to the blurb, local television station WNBC reported that Dwan "is partially paralyzed and does not remember or understand the attack" and that he "will be undergoing rehabilitation for at least a year."

In the meantime, some of you have been posting replies to the news that Emanuel Xavier was also beaten up in Brooklyn earlier this week or sending me private messages expressing your concern and care. I have been forwarding these to Emanuel and I am sure he appreciates all the love. I will keep you posted on any developments in the next few days.

[Image above is from a vigil organized this past June 28 by Make the Road by Walking outside Brookdale Hospital, where Dwan spent the last few months, and of his mother Valerie Prinez, holding a picture of her son, courtesy of Gay City News]

UPDATE: Verdict in the brutal beating of Dwan Prince (March 28, 2006)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Andres thank you so much for these incredible important and informative posts.

I had no idea about either Prince's return home or Emanuel's attack. And this comes from a person that is supposed to be "in the know."

Thank you so much.

Blabbeando said...

Thanks Frank. Truth be told, I was a little surprised myself that Dwan had gone home and might have missed it altogether if I hadn't seen the blurb in Gay City News (I wish I had seen the WNBC report). And, while I am happy to hear that he's home, I am still sad to read that he will have to go through months of physical therapy and that there is partial paralysis. I wish the guys doing these attacks knew how potentially devastating the beatings can be on a person's life and would stop and think about the damage they might cause before laying their fists or bats on anyone.