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My name is Dan
Teodorescu, known to my friends as Danny. This is my second visit to the USA, the coveted destination of so many in
my native country of Romania.
Home to the “American Dream”..
I came here to earn enough money so
I could get married to my girlfriend of 12 years, Irina. I worked 10-12
hours a day, almost every day, and sold ice cream from the back of an old
van to the many diverse neighborhoods of Richmond. It was grueling to work in
temperatures that often were over 100 degrees.
I was just two weeks away from
finishing the summer job here, to go home to Ina, and my wedding set for
November 10th. when my world was turned upside
down when two guys tried to rob me. I had just pulled in to the school
grounds of Elementary School, early Sunday evening where some kids were
playing basketball. My mobile phone rang, and it was Ina calling from Bucharest, her daily
routine to check on me, and to talk about wedding plan details.
I had parked the van, and saw two
young guys approach the van, “Hold on, I have customers” I told her, then to her horror she listened as the sounds of a
gunshot changed our lives forever. The phone line remained open, and she
heard the sounds of the people that had been playing rush over to help
me, the sounds of them trying to help me, the sounds of the paramedics arriving,
and not really knowing anything. What a nightmare that must have been.
She called my brother Adrian, who by
chance was here on vacation visiting friends, and at that time staying in
Atlanta,
to try to help. Many phone calls later, to police, hospitals, colleagues
from work, Adrian was rushing 500 miles to
my side here in Richmond.
At this time I am grateful to be
alive. I am praying for a rapid and complete recovery too, however, the
reality is that this may be a long way off if ever. My embassy managed to
obtain an extension to my visa so I can complete my recovery here in the USA.
I miss my fiancée, my mother and my friends back home in Bucharest. I miss
the ability to be able to move my right arm naturally and speak normally.
At this time I am grateful to be
alive. I am grateful for those strangers that came to help me. I am
grateful to many of my ice cream customers who have come to the hospital
to visit, sent cards and called my workplace to express their shock and
regret that such a cruel twist of fate should happen to their Ice Cream
Man, and to wish me a speedy recovery.
I am a little scared of what the
future holds, how can I pay for all the therapy I need, and how much will
I need to make myself whole again?
If you could find it your heart to
help Ina and me, to help us get our life back, we will forever be in your
debt, and you will forever be in our hearts..
Please read my updates to see what is currently happening with my life.
Danny
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