TOMS RIVER – The daughter of a township resident facing six months of rehabilitation after being assaulted on Independence Day has started a fundraiser to help with the costs of his recovery.
Alan Stever, 56, was seriously injured after being punched during an argument on Hazelwood Road in Toms River. His family is seeking assistance with the cost of medical bills they are facing.
His daughter, Alexis Foerst, said her father’s injuries will likely keep him out of work much longer than six months. Her dad was injured during an argument with Raziel Mancebo, 27, of Scotch Plains, who has been charged with aggravated assault and simple assault.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Mancebo is accused of hitting Stever and Jason Durante, also of Toms River, during the fight. Stever was knocked down and hit his head on the ground, rendering him unconscious.
He was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he is continuing to be treated, according to Foerst.
His daughter said the fight happened after a car with three people in it sped through the area where families were celebrating the holiday.
It was noted in Billhimer’s announcement that someone had shouted for the car to slow down which is when Mancebo stopped his car and the fight began.
“While enjoying fireworks, our father was violently assaulted. Our father is a life-long Toms River resident. He needed to be airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center. The family appreciates any donations greatly, and we appreciate the community rallying behind our father praying for him,” Foerst stated on the Gofundme page.
Foerst said her father is a heavy equipment operator but will be unable to work for an undetermined period of time. Her mother will be taking time off from work until her father is moved to a rehabilitation facility.
She described her father as being a “hard worker, and provider for his family, and will now be unable to work for an unknown amount of time due to severe injuries. Our parents have lost all income resources and have mounting expenses resulting from the assault.”
Foerst noted this was a difficult time for her family as they may need to make changes to their home to accommodate her father’s needs when he is able to return home, and is anticipating substantial medical bills from his treatment.
Mancebo, who was charged on July 5, turned himself in to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office on July 7 and is awaiting a detention hearing, according to the Prosecutor.
Those wishing to donate to the GoFundMe campaign can go to the browser and enter gofundmealanstever
