Mum rallies support for trans teen left paralysed after almost being beaten to death – and it’s so easy to help
Black trans man Kristian Rouse has a long road to recovery after an attack that nearly cost him his life. (Gofundme)
The LGBT+ community has rallied around a trans teen who was left paralysed after almost being beaten to death in a suspected hate attack, sending him cards to encourage him to keep fighting.
Kristian Rouse, 18, was found unconscious by his mother and ex-girlfriend on May 13. He has no memory of the attack that left him in intensive care for almost a month.
His mother, Euryduce Darrington, said that her son usually called her everyday to tell her he was safe. When she didn’t hear from him she became concerned, so she and his ex-girlfriend headed to his apartment in Southwest Bakersfield, California to check on him.
They looked through the windows of the apartment and saw him lying unconscious on the floor. Darrington frantically managed to convince one of the complex’s maintenance employees to open the unit’s front door.
She told NBC17 News in June: “My child was laying on the floor. He could barely speak, barely breathe.
“He had marks around his neck, his face was swollen, he had bruises on his torso and his back and his shirt was off. He’s transgender and that is not a nice thing to do.”
Rouse’s lungs had collapsed and he had air trapped in his stomach, and once he was taken to hospital he spent four weeks on a ventilator.
His right arm and leg are currently paralysed, his mother said, and he is unable to speak.
Trans teen Kristian Rouse is facing a “tough” road to recovery and needs some encouragement.
Darrington told LGBTQ Nation: “Kristian and I are both taking things one day at a time and to be honest, it has been tough; we are both traumatised.
“[Doctors] say that it will probably take two years to get complete use of his right arm and leg.
“There is a little more worry about his right foot, (he has no feeling in it whatsoever); we will just have to see how it goes.”
She added: “Kristian’s mood is all over the place and he gets pretty depressed. This happened at the end of his senior year and he missed his graduation because he was in the hospital.”
The LGBT+ community has been rallying around the trans teen and his family, including providing financial support for medical bills, but one community leader has stepped in to help people send Rouse some extra love and encouragement.
Kelly McKinsey, a leader for Free Mom Hugs in California, said: “When I heard his story happened in my home town I felt like I had a network I could reach out to, to do something for them.”
KcKinsey has set up a PO box and will pass along any post directly to Rouse to lift his spirits, and they’ll be delivered with a hug.
c/o Kelly McKinsey
PO Box 5895
Bakersfield CA 93388
