New Jersey 101.5 video

NEW BRUNSWICK — The 19-year-old woman who was knocked unconscious by a man on a city street on Oct. 29 remains hospitalized.

On Saturday, relatives and friends of Emily Rand, Middlesex County College student from South Amboy, held a fundraiser to help cover mounting medical expenses.

A GoFundMe account so far has raised more than $6,000.

Rand was hospitalized after she was knocked unconscious by a man she had hit first. As a result of the punch and her fall onto the street, Rand was left in a coma and had to undergo skull surgery to relieve brain pressure.

The incident was caught on video, which was shared online.

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The man who punched Rand left the scene but was later tracked down by city police, who declined to press charges because Rand had struck him first.

Rand's aunt, Debbie O'Connor, told New Jersey 101.5 that Rand had lashed out because the man had been disrespecting her and her friends.

A woman claiming to be the man's mother called into New Jersey 101.5's "Deminski and Doyle" show last month to say that her son was defending himself and that he hadn't realized that it had been a woman who hit him.

O'Connor keeps supporters apprised of her niece's recovery via daily posts on the Friends of Emily Rand group on Facebook. Her latests updates reveal that Rand continues to suffer from debilitating headaches and confusion, she sometimes needs a feeding tube and continues to have excess fluids drained from her head.

To donate toward her medical expenses, click here.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-438-1015 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.

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