More than $200,000 has been raised to cover medical bills for a Hofstra student who was attacked with acid and severely burned on March 17 in Elmont.
The victim, Nafiah Fatima, as she is identified on a GoFundMe page, is a 21-year-old Hofstra student and a graduate of the Sewanhaka Central High School District. The GoFundMe page was created by Shazia Anjum, who was permitted to tell her story to the public.
On March 17, around 8:30 p.m., Fatima and her mother parked their car outside their Elmont home on Arlington Avenue and were about to walk inside when an unknown man ran up to her and threw acid on her face. Footage of the incident was caught on a neighboring house camera.
According to the page, the attacker, who has not been identified by police more than a month later, used a “dark brown acid known to cause blindness and severe burning.”
Officials from the Nassau County Police Department said the attacker, approximately 6-foot-2, was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and gloves. He fled in a red 2013-2015 Nissan Altima, according to the police.
When the acid was thrown in Fatima’s face, it caused her to scream and acid then got into her mouth. Her tongue and throat were burned as a result, according to the page. She ran into the house, where her parents attempted to help her, but the acid burned her parents’ arms and hands as well.
The acid caused “severe burning” on Fatima’s eyes, chest and arms, according to the post. She was also wearing contact lenses, which were melted to her eyes as a result of the acid.
“We don’t know if Nafiah will ever regain vision again,” the page said.
“Nafiah has stayed incredibly strong throughout this horrific event,” the page said. “Nafiah’s only wish is that the attacker is caught so that she can feel safe in her own home.”
Efforts to reach Fatima or Anjum for further comment were unavailing.
“We’re shocked by this horrific attack, and our thoughts are with Nafiah, her family and friends as she focuses on her recovery,” a statement from Hofstra University said. “We are committed to supporting her through that process and will cooperate with any investigation into the matter.”
The GoFundMe was started on April 17, a month after the attack. Within three days, more than 5,400 people had donated, resulting in more than $200,000 being raised to cover Fatima’s medical expenses.
Anjum expressed her gratitude on the GoFundMe page and said that since no one could be sure what future expenses may be, the GoFundMe goal was reset to one dollar, “as it feels too much to ask of our community who has already done so much.”
“We would like to thank everyone who shared/donated from the bottom of our hearts. We had no idea we had such an amazing support system,” Anjum said on the page Monday. “All we continue to ask is that you keep Nafiah in your prayers and share with as many people as possible!!!”
Fatima has expressed her gratitude for the support she has received through social media posts that have circulated throughout the Hofstra community and Long Island. For more information on her condition or to donate to her cause, people can visit the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/eqn24y-help-nafiah-acid-attack-survivor-get-justice?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unknown&utm_campaign=comms_slk5+eqn24y-help-nafiah-acid-attack-survivor-get-justice.
