• 18
  • April
    2011

The San Francisco Giants fan who was brutally beaten March 31 in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium has suffered a setback in his treatment and has been put back into a medically induced coma. The 42-year-old father of two, a paramedic, suffered a skull fracture and brain injuries in the attack, which was perpetrated by unknown Dodgers fans who are said to have taken offense at his wearing a Giants jersey at the Dodgers' home opener.

The man suffered seizures on Saturday, according to officials at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. He remains in critical condition.

According to an interview with one of the man's friends who was with him at the time of the attack, the Giants fan was beaten by at least two men, who appeared to be drunk. They beat the paramedic to within inches of his life, despite the fact that he and his companions did not fight back. The group was attacked from behind and the paramedic's head was bashed to the pavement, which caused the skull fracture. He has not regained consciousness.

Giants fan's survival of the skull surgery nearly miraculous, but his prognosis is grim

When the man's family arrived at the hospital after the attack, they were told that brain swelling had forced doctors to remove the left half of the victim's skull to reduce the pressure on his frontal lobe.

"Nine out of 10 people would not have made it through that surgery," said the man's mother.

However, there are numerous hurdles to survival after a brain injury and, despite his beating the odds by making it through the skull surgery, the Giants fan may not survive. The seizures he experienced make his prognosis gloomy. Doctors have told his family that he will need to remain in the medically induced coma for at least a week.

"His chances of ever waking up out of the coma are slim," his sister told reporters today.

Despite a $150,000 reward, police have not been able to find those responsible for the beating and the man's brain injury. Dodgers co-owner Frank McCourt has since agreed to foot the bill for increased security and crowd management procedures at Dodgers stadium.

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