My grandson Brandon, an off-duty police officer, was attacked outside of the ACRISURE/Heinz Field Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, by three young men on Saturday evening while walking alone. Police video shows that one of the individuals threw an object and hit him in the head, then all three rushed him and repeatedly kicked him in his face and head until police arrived on the scene. Brandon was rushed and admitted to Allegheny General Hospital and has since been released but is unable to return home or to work so he is staying with me while he recuperates. Two of the individuals fled and one was apprehended by the police. Brandon went to Pittsburgh to attend the Luke Combs concert but never made it inside the stadium. We have no idea what the medical bills will be for all the scans and testing. I took him to the dentist, and he has two loose teeth; one front tooth is broken with the root exposed. Our dentist said he will probably need root canals on both if they tighten up in his gums, and if they do not, they will need to be extracted, and then he would need a partial. We already know his insurance will not cover root canals. The swelling in his eye has subsided, and although he can see, his vision is blurry, so I have made an appointment with an Ophthalmologist. Brandon is a police officer and risks his life daily, and then to have something like this happen is unconscionable. He only has six paid leave of absence days and will need to use those for court hearings and any Doctor, dental or vision appointments. We are fortunate that he is alive, that he is not paralyzed or brain dead. I would rather be able to see a toothless smile than not to see him smile ever again. It would be greatly appreciated if anyone could donate, no matter what the amount, to help him defray some of the expenses and lost wages.
To clarify, there were two incidents at this same concert involving off-duty police officers, the one that the news stations ran did not involve Brandon; from what we heard, those police officers were off-duty and employed by Pittsburgh Brandon is employed in another jurisdiction.
I am asking for prayers for my grandson that he does not have any long-term problems due to this incident. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.