SOUTH ELGIN, Ill. – A middle school student who was beaten so severely by a classmate he went into a coma is now talking, eating and reading all the “get well” messages he’s received – including from Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo.
Henry Sembdner was attacked on Feb. 3 allegedly by a classmate who was angry that the pair had bumped into each other, PIX11 News’ sister station WGN reports. He suffered facial fractures and injuries to his brain.
“My nephew was going into a crowed hallway at school and bumped into someone,” his family wrote on their GoFundMe page. “The kid grabbed him and slammed him into the ground. A wonderful child is in the hospital for no reason.”
The attacker, who attends Kenyon Woods Middle School with the victim, was taken into police custody.
After Rizzo, first baseman for the World Series champions, learned about Sembdner’s condition, he reached out to the seventh-grader via Twitter.
“Heard you are a big @Cubs fan Henry. When you are better I have a couple tickets and BP passes waiting for you at Wrigley,” Rizzo wrote.
He then called for pictures of supporters wearing Cubs gear in honor of Sembdner, who is now recovering in a pediatric room, WGN reports.
So far, Sembdner’s family has raised about $31,000 on behalf of him. To support their fundraisers, click here or here.
