This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
On June 19, 2020, RN Media published an interview with Cyprian Ondieki, a Kenyan-born man who was attacked by an armed gang in the US in 2017.
Ondieki, who moved to the US at 19 to join his father, initially pursued college studies before dropping out to join the army. He was enlisted as a mechanic and team leader in the US Army and served in New York near the US-Canada border.
However, Ondieki's life took a drastic turn when he was attacked by a gang during a party in 2017. He was hospitalized for several months, including two months in a coma, and suffered severe injuries that left him in a wheelchair for six months.
According to Ondieki, the gang was involved in a 'gang initiation attack,' where they target random people to prove their worth. He credits his friends for saving his life, as they mobilized others to confront the criminals.
After his recovery, Ondieki was admitted to the warrior transition unit, but he was retired on medical grounds due to uncontrollable tremors. He lost his job and most of his friends abandoned him, but his child keeps him going.
