The Devastation of a Family

A fine, loving, sensitive human being lies in intensive care at Fountain Valley Community Hospital attached to life-support systems because of a senseless, vicious attack upon his body on Monday, July 29. The perpetrators deliberately ran him down while he was bicycling in company with a female bicyclist, then sped away with two other drivers in pursuit. These witnesses were not able to catch the criminals.

As the mother of the victim, I find it impossible to live with the idea that these hoodlums are totally ignorant, not only of the horrendous damage they have inflicted upon my son, but also the devastation they have caused to our family.

My 82-year-old mother, whom I’ve nursed for nine years, is now hospitalized, deprived of the frequent visits of her only daughter; my younger son, after years of conscientious studying and hard work and happily accepted by a university out of this area, is now so concerned over his brother’s welfare that he has been unable to complete plans for his own future; a young bride returned to California for what should have been a joyous occasion now spends her time on hospital watches and trying to console her new in-laws.

I realize these upsets are minor in comparison to the massive head injury my son is dealing with, but these incidents in our lives illustrate how one stupid, brutal act of violence can demoralize a close, loving family.

I pray the mothers of the two culprits involved never experience the panic and terror this mother has lived with these past several days. The incident occurred at 10:35 a.m. on MacArthur Boulevard just south of the 405 Freeway on-ramp in Irvine. If you have any information, please call Inspector Peter Linton of the Irvine Police Department at (714) 660-3945. We must not allow heinous behavior of this sort to exist in a civilized society.

MRS. ERNEST H. RUFER

Fountain Valley