A man who was paralyzed after he was shot during an attempted robbery made his first public appearance Sunday during a fundraiser in his honor.
Kevin Neary, 29, was shot in the neck last November while walking home from a friend’s house along the 700 block of Bodine Street. The incident was captured on a security camera. Police later arrested 20-year-old Chris Easter for the shooting. Neary and his family say they have been asked by prosecutors not to talk about the shooting.
Neary was told he’d be paralyzed from the neck down. He underwent several surgeries to get off a ventilator so that he could breathe on his own.
On Sunday, at 1 p.m., Neary attended a fund-raising event in his honor at the Union Trust Philadelphia Steakhouse, where he was employed as a waiter. Over 200 family members and friends attended.
“I feel good, I’m happy to be here,” said Neary. “This is the place that I love and a lot of good people are here. I’ve got a lot of good friends and family so I’m excited to be here.”
