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A GoFundMe campaign managed to raise over $110,000 in donations for an 84-year-old Asian woman who was stabbed while waiting for a bus in San Francisco, California, on Tuesday.
Chui Fong Eng and an unnamed 65-year-old woman, also Asian, were rushed to the hospital after they were attacked for no reason at a bus stop on Market St. by a suspect wielding a knife in broad daylight.
Eng's granddaughter, Victoria Eng, said the suspect stabbed her grandmother in the right arm and in the chest with a "long knife."
Surveillance footage of the attack was shared on Twitter last week.
In the video, the suspect approached the women from behind as they were waiting for the bus. Eng was seen holding a lime green bag.
The man first stabbed the 65-year-old woman standing next to Eng. After the attack, she ran off and left her bag behind at the scene.
The man then walked over to Eng and stabbed her twice. She fell to the ground as a bystander came to her aid while the suspect calmly walked off.
You can see the video here:
WARNING: violence
Although the motive for the attack remains unclear, people were furious over yet another incident involving violent and unprovoked attacks towards Asians—which have increased significantly in the midst of the pandemic.
Both women underwent surgery at San Francisco General Hospital and are reportedly recovering well.
Victoria and her brother Andrew set up the fundraiser on behalf of their recovering grandmother to help cover medical expenses.
Victoria wrote in the campaign description:
"These Asian hate crimes need to stop. Our hearts go out to all those who have been injured, killed, or affected by this wave of racist crimes toward the Asian community."
"San Francisco is my home and my Grandma's home. We need to feel safe where we live and not in constant fear."
The AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community and their allies expressed their shock after seeing their own elderly family members reflected in the photo of the recovering grandmother.
"You remind me of my mother: a strong Chinese woman. Stay strong and get well. Let's have good triumph over evil. Kindness over cruelty. Love over hate. Take care apo."
Another donor wrote:
"Depraved and horrific act done to an innocent elderly. She looks like she could be my auntie. I wish you a speedy recovery."
Just days before Eng's stabbing, an Asian dad—also from San Francisco—was attacked from behind and repeatedly punched in the face unprovoked while he was pushing his one-year-old baby in a stroller.
A San Francisco Police Department spokesperson told Newsweek Eng's attack was not ruled as a hate crime but said an investigation was ongoing.
The police located Eng's attacker in the 600 block of Eddy Street, two hours after he stabbed the two women.
According to KPIX-TV, the suspect had been arrested over two dozen times in the last 20 years.
His violent history includes stabbing a person at a homeless shelter with a pair of scissors for no apparent reason in 2017.
He was also reported to have been placed under "psychiatric hold at least once."
Roughly three thousand donors have contributed to Eng's fundraiser, which exceeded its $50,000 goal with a total of more than $126,000 in donations as of Saturday, May 8.
Victoria told Joe she was able to visit her grandmother in the hospital.
"[i]t was so emotional walking in and seeing her," she said.
"The staff have been providing exceptional care to her and extremely supportive to our family. She wants to thank everyone for their generosity and well wishes!"
She did say they tried giving a portion of the fundraiser money to the other victim's family but said the hospital "politely declined" to provide contact information citing privacy reasons.
She plans to give any money not used for medical expenses to organizations that support AAPI communities.