Family Collecting Donations for Wheelchair Assault Victim

It's been two weeks since an unknown assailant brutally attacked a man on a wheelchair in Newport Beach, and today the victim's family is asking for donations to help pay for his medical bills.

An online fundraiser with a goal of $3,500 has been set up for Alan Halderman, 56, of Newport Beach, on gofundme.com by his sister Sharon Halderman Frost. So far $120 has been donated, but Frost hopes to raise more money for her brother who is is permanently disabled and living on a fixed income.

"He will need ongoing daily care which insurance does not cover until he is able to be more independent again. He will eventually need a new electric scooter with a safer design with a seat belt for transportation," Frost told Patch. "I am guessing the care he will need that won’t be covered by insurance will be around $20,000."

Alan Halderman was injured on the afternoon of Aug. 6 when he was attacked while leaving a pharmacy on West Balboa Boulevard. He was punched in the head and suffered a shattered hip. Police say there are still no leads in the case, and the motive is unknown.

Today Alan Halderman is in need of a new leg brace because of the injury to his leg during the assault, physical therapy to regain mobility, occupational therapy to help him redevelop living skills and speech therapy because the assault caused a setback in the non-verbal communication skills he regained after suffering a stroke three years ago.

"Alan is making slow progress, the fact that he is a stroke survivor really complicates his recovery/rehabilitation from surgery and breaking his hip," Frost said. "He is being treated for a blood clot in his lung which is a result or complication of the broken hip and the surgery, which alone can be life threatening."

Along with the monetary donations, Frost is also working on creating an online auction to raise more money for her brother. Once she receives enough donated items, the online auction will be set up so people can start bidding.

Anyone interested in donating items for the online auction should contact Sharon Halderman Frost at slhfrost@cox.net. Monetary donations can be made at gofundme.com.