MILWAUKEE — Iam Fuchs’ life was forever changed after a violent attack in his Riverwest neighborhood.
He was walking home after mourning the loss of a neighborhood friend when his evening quickly turned into a nightmare, leaving him with permanent injuries and mounting medical bills.
Despite the pain and setbacks, Iam’s dedication to his community remains strong, but he needs help to heal and rebuild his life.
It was Aug. 5, 2024, when Iam and a coworker were walking home after attending a memorial for a friend near Bremen and Wright. The peace of the neighborhood they knew so well was shattered in an instant.
"Somebody came up and just hit me in the face, and I was on the ground," Iam recalled.
The attack was swift and brutal. A large group ambushed them, leaving them bloodied and defenseless.
"I was trying to pull on pants, legs, whatever I could," Iam said, recalling the chaos. "They pistol-whipped my friend, banged her around. It was like it was a sport for them—they were just laughing at us."
Watch: Community rallies to support Riverwest man recovering from brutal attack
Iam was punched and kicked repeatedly in the head, suffering a severe concussion, a traumatic brain injury and bleeding in his brain. He’s lived with constant mental and physical pain ever since.
"Egregious headaches ... every day," Iam shared, his voice filled with frustration.
In addition to the physical injuries, Iam suffered damage to his left eye, leaving him with ongoing vision problems. His daily life has been a struggle with debilitating headaches, physical challenges and cognitive impairments.
"My wallet was gone. My keys were gone. They took everything I had and sped off," Iam said, reflecting on the traumatic loss.
Although his head injuries have shown some signs of improvement, recent CT scans revealed that the bleeding in his brain is worsening. Brain surgery is now unavoidable, and the cost of his recovery continues to rise.
"Out of pocket? Probably looking at a hundred grand, plus car payments, insurance ... all this stuff keeps piling up," Iam explained, his frustration evident.
Despite everything, Iam remains unwavering in his love for his community. Even though his body is still healing, his heart stays strong.
"There is a solid sense of community, and people take care of each other here," Iam said, his words a reminder of the connection he feels to the neighborhood.
As Iam fights to recover, he is reaching out for help. To support his journey, donate to his GoFundMe page.
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