A teenage boy succumbed to his injuries days after being beaten by a group of bullies near a high school in Las Vegas. His father has now paid a heartbreaking tribute to him on a GoFundMe page titled ‘Heart of a Champion Our Son.’
Around 15 youths brutally beat 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis near Rancho High School on November 1 when he tried to stand up for a younger friend who had been robbed by the gang.
‘He's a courageous young man’
Jonathan’s father, also named Jonathan Lewis, wrote on the GoFundMe page before Jonathan’s death, “I'm sure many of you have seen the news in Las Vegas of our son who is in critical condition and on life support after what the news is describing as 15 people attacking him. We can't release any other information yet except to say that we denounce violence as a means to resolve sociological conflict, we believe community members can coexist peacefully, and we love our son and all children with all our hearts! Our son is a kind, loving, gentle young man who has the heart of a champion and the brightest loving energy that attracts people to him with love!”
He continued, “He's an aspiring artist, devoted big brother, and a fierce protector of love ones! We are so grateful for all the love and community support that has poured in for our son and hope that the world will focus on all that love and compassion as a beacon of hope for human relations and place recognition upon how much stronger the love and the spirit of community is than the dark moments of violence. Love wins our son is a champion of love and family and the resilient spirit of human perseverance and will to be good and kind and loving!”
{{/usCountry}}He continued, “He's an aspiring artist, devoted big brother, and a fierce protector of love ones! We are so grateful for all the love and community support that has poured in for our son and hope that the world will focus on all that love and compassion as a beacon of hope for human relations and place recognition upon how much stronger the love and the spirit of community is than the dark moments of violence. Love wins our son is a champion of love and family and the resilient spirit of human perseverance and will to be good and kind and loving!”
{{/usCountry}}“We have been given a statement from our son's girlfriend that what occurred was that one of his smaller friends had something stolen by this group of 15 and they threw the small boy in the trash can and our son confronted them and he was attacked by them. He's a courageous young man,” he added.
After the incident, the video showing the moment the fight broke out surfaced. In a conversation with 8NewsNow, Lewis said his son kept to himself. The young boy was living with his mother in Las Vegas when he died, and was planning to move to Austin, Texas.