Anthony Borges is a hero. When Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day, Borges, 15, stood in front of a door to keep Cruz from entering a classroom and attacking the about 20 students hiding inside. A teacher came to his rescue and together, they successfully shut the door, but Cruz killed the educator and injured Borges. Bullets struck the soccer player on his back and his legs. As of Sunday, officials said Borges – who is of Venezuelan descent – is in fair condition. “Fortunately, he is recovering, but has a long road ahead with more surgeries needed,” Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said in a tweet, according to the Sun Sentinel.
The teen’s dad, Roger Borges, says his left leg is in worse condition because the bullets hit arteries. Roger, who works nearby the school, told Telemundo that when he learned of the shooting, he rushed over. By that point, his son was being transferred to a Broward hospital, and a police escort ensured that Roger could quickly get to his son’s side, according to Telemundo.
Roger told NTN24 that the government is helping them with medical expenses, but that as Anthony recovers, he’ll need his parents by his side. “My son has a long journey ahead,” he said, adding that his boss had started a GoFundMe account for therapy and so that Anthony’s mom and dad could be by his side.
The account has raised more than $125,000 so far. If you want to donate to the family, head to GoFundMe.