BOSTON (WHDH) - An innocent bystander who was shot and paralyzed during a shooting in Roxbury in October is openly discussing her path to recovery.
Aleyah Fernandez was walking down Dudley Street after a doctor’s appointment with her boyfriend on October 8 when the couple reported they heard several gunshots. The pair ducked for cover, but when the 25-year-old tried to get back up, she collapsed and was unable to move.
“I got hit in my spine,” said Fernandez. “I just remember falling to the ground and everything was dark.”
Shawn Walker, 24, is facing charges in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors say he fired dozens of shots into a restaurant, trying to hit someone inside.
Fernandez is now in rehabilitation, and remains positive about her situation.
“Regardless of what goes on in my life, with trials and tribulations I go through, I always try to stay positive,” said Fernandez. “I’m very optimistic with being more mobile again and with having more control over my body again.”
She is also calling on everyone to take more care of each other.
“Just be more community based. Love one another, stop being so violent. Learn how to deal with what you’re going through in a better way, instead of going straight to violence and straight to negativity,” she said.
As Fernandez continues her recovery, her doctors said her ability to overcome obstacles is inspiring.
“Aleyah’s doing great, she’s so motivated, she has such a positive energy, she’s always up for a challenge — even if it seems hard sometimes, she’ll look at me and be like, ‘really?'” said Dr. Rosali Shnorhokan, an Occupational Therapist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. “I know that there’s other people that don’t have that mentality, so maybe I can rub that type of energy off to somebody else.”
Fernandez’s doctors say her recovery is currently focused on helping her to be able to function independently.
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