What was supposed to be the celebration of the day of his life, soon turned into the very last day he ever saw her wife and children. Jonathan George, 34, was brutally beaten while shopping at a local gas station in Colorado on October 20, the same day of his fifth wedding anniversary with Ericka Halte. He remained on life support for three weeks before being taken off it on November 10.
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George was at a gas station at 121st Avenue and Huron Street in Westminster, Colorado, when the beating occurred at around 7:30 p.m., according to the police. He managed to survive the beating but was severely injured, suffering multiple skull fractures. However, he managed to call 911 but declined police assistance.
"In the background, they could hear multiple people screaming, having a confrontation with him," her wife, Ericka Halte, told 9News. "And that's when he declined any kind of assistance. Said he was close to home and he would make it home."
However, George had to be airlifted to the hospital after he was found near the gas station. According to Fox 31 Denver, Halta only learned about his whereabouts on the morning of the next day. His husband not only had suffered from multiple skull fractures but his brain was bleeding. For that reason, he had to undergo emergency brain surgery and was placed on a ventilator.
A Father, Lost
Initially, George improved slightly, having to undergo further surgeries like a g-tube procedure and tracheotomy. Unfortunately, he was declared brain-dead on Thursday, November 7. Three days later, on November 10, he was taken off life support, with his organs donated.
Ericka Halte and their family were heartbroken by George's passing. "It's heartbreaking to tell your son he will no longer see his daddy," she said. "I'm lost. I'm numb. I don't want to feel anything. My days are mushed together. It's a big struggle."
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to give support to George's family and help cover the medical expenses. It has raised more than $15,000 from a $200,000 goal. "As a young family man, Jonny was the sole provider for his wife and children," reads the campaign's description. "Unfortunately, Jonny does not have health insurance, and the mounting medical expenses, including the costs of surgery, hospital care, and rehabilitation, are overwhelming."
While the death of Jonathan George has not been ruled a homicide, police have issued a crime alert. They are set on finding the attackers and are asking for help, as the police have no footage of the incident.
