Bianca Palomera, a fast food worker from California, lost an eye after she was attacked for defending her co-worker's brother from a bully on Saturday, November 12, 2022.
The 19-year-old was lauded for her bravery after the news spread and the GoFundMe page set by her sister, Erika, has now garnered over $130,000 as of writing this article.
On Saturday, November 12, fast-food employee Bianca Palomera, 19, was working at the Habit Burger Grill's Mahogany Way location in Antioch, California, when she noticed a young man bullying a boy with special needs. Palomera approached the man and asked him to leave the boy alone, which led to a physical altercation.
According to her sister, the restaurant worker was rushed to a nearby trauma center, where she underwent emergency surgery. The incident resulted in Bianca losing her right eye completely, but she is now in stable condition.
Bianca Palomera's family has set up the fundraiser to seek assistance for her needs after the surgery and has posted camera footage to bring Bianca to justice.
On November 16, Antioch police told NBC Bay Area that the matter is still under investigation and that no suspects are in custody so far.
Bianca Palomera says she does not regret stepping in and helping
Erika's post mentions that the perpetrator was a man between the ages of 16 and 21 who fled in a Grey BMW SUV with three other individuals after injuring Palomera.
The perpetrator, along with three other individuals, was harassing her co-worker's brother, a child with special needs, in the restaurant lobby when Bianca stepped in. Bianca Palomera spoke to NBC Bay Area and said:
"He was throwing threats and slurs saying that he was going to 'beat him up', 'why does he keep looking his way?' That's when I step in and I said 'it's not right what you're doing.'"Upon asking the man to leave the establishment, he resorted to physical violence. Bianca stated that his punch caused her headset and glasses to fly off her face.
In the Facebook post, Erika wrote:
"She was only trying to do the right thing and stop a special needs person from being bullied."Crime reporter Henry K. Lee tweeted that in his conversation with Bianca, she told him that she is yet to process the situation.
Bianca Palomera also told NBC Bay Area that although it was the last thing she expected, she doesn't regret helping and stepping in, stating:
"It could have been worse for my coworker's brother."She added:
"Even though I did get basically disabled, or you know, I can’t see out of my eye, don’t be afraid to step up for somebody whether you know them or not."Bianca Palomera is being celebrated as a good Samaritan after protecting a child from harm while sustaining irreversible injuries in the process, with many netizens sharing their support of her actions and calling out for justice.
Habit Grill addressed the incident in a statement provided to TODAY Food, sharing that they were proud of Bianca and pledging their support for Palomera's recovery.
They also added that they prioritize the safety of their team members and are planning additional assistance for Palomera, and that their senior leaders have been in regular communication with her family.
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