Fundraiser the latest effort to aid comatose victim of beating

by Mary Helen Sprecher
newsroom@baltimoreguide.com

Before anyone ever knew who he was, he was John Doe. Found suffering from massive head trauma, the unconscious man was transported to Johns Hopkins. Witnesses told police that they saw a group of males kicking the man, beating him and stomping on his head. But they didn’t know the assailants and they didn’t know the victim.
He has remained in a coma since the attack on June 2. The biggest difference, of course, is that he’s no longer John Doe. He’s 27-year-old Zach Sowers, a Southeast Baltimore resident, a newlywed and a grad student.
And these days, he’s the focus of a lot of attention, including several fund raisers.
“The efforts from people have been great,” said Angela Wier, a friend who is acting as spokesperson for the family. “People have really stepped up. Even people we don’t even know have helped out.”
The vicious assault made news. So did the fact that four individuals — three of them juveniles — had been arrested in connection to the case.
In response to the many questions and requests for updates on Sowers’ condition, family and friends set up a website, www.zachsowers.com, for those wishing for information and looking for ways to help out.
It takes the burden of returning calls off of Anna, Sowers’ wife of less than a year, who has been at the hospital with him constantly.
“Anna’s holding up,” said Wier, “she’s a very positive person and she’s holding up as well as can be expected, but this is so hard.”
Sowers remained in critical condition for nearly a month before being transferred out. He has yet to regain consciouness.
A note on the website reads, “(Zach) moves around and opens his eyes a bit but we still have to keep hoping and being positive that he will start emerging from his coma.”
For four weeks, Sowers remained in critical care at Johns Hopkins. In early July, he was transferred to Kernan Hospital’s coma unit, but had a setback and was sent to Sinai Hospital. He has since been tranferred back to Hopkins.
The transfers are the latest bump in the rollercoaster ride the family has taken since June 2 when, according to police reports, Sowers was found lying on a street in Highlandtown shortly after midnight. He was rushed to Hopkins but could not be identified because of his condition, and because no identification was found in his clothing. It was not until Sowers’ wife, who had been out of town at the time, returned and reported him missing, that things began to fall together.
And his attackers, as it turned out, had taken something that could identify him and themselves — his credit cards. And when they used those credit cards to purchase gasoline and to rent movies, police closed the net around them.
Trayvon Ramos, age 16, Arthur Jeter, 17, Eric L. Price, 16, and Wilburt Martin, 18 were all arrested and charged in connection with the crime.
Robbery appeared to be the motive for the incident, according to Police spokesperson Nicole Monroe, as Sowers’ watch and cell phone were also taken. All pled not guilty at an arraignment on July 20.
Angela Wier would not comment on the official proceedings of the case, preferring instead to concentrate on the fact that the community has continued to rally around Sowers and his family, providing donations of meals, gift cards for local restaurants and cards for gas stations, as well as parking vouchers for the hospital garage.
She added that Sowers’ mother, who lives outside the area, has also been given rides to and from the hospital, and on various errands, from friends and neighbors who want to help.
“Everyone has been great,” she said.
Three separate fund raising efforts have been set up. The first, a monetary fund, The Zach Sowers Support Fund, is available for donations at the Frederick County Bank (Frederick is where several members of Sowers’ family live).
Additionally, according to the website, a special tribute to Zach Sowers will come in the form of a citywide effort, “Neighbors’ Night Out,’ to be held on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2 p.m.-8 p.m. During the afternoon and evening, the website states, “neighbors are being encouraged to meet at selected bars and restaurants “to drink, dine and send the message that we stand together against violence.”
The website is requesting that bars and restaurants agree to donate 20 per cent of the profits from the business between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. to help stem the cost of Sowers’ medical care. (Information on the program can be obtained from Heather Teichman at 443-326-5086 or HMTeich1@aol.com).
In recent days, suporters have made available a T-shirt, which can be purchased for $15 (small, medium and large sizes) and $17 (extra-large) through the site. The shirt, which is black with a white graphic of Sowers in front of his D.J. equipment (one of his hobbies), also carries the website address.
The website also has a section where friends and community members can post messages of comfort. At last check, there were more than 1,200 postings.
“Zach, you have a lot of love to wake up to,” said one. “We are praying for you.”
Note: The website for Zach Sowers, containing information, personal photos, a message board and other information, is available at www.zachsowers.com.