Community holds fundraiser on birthday of man attacked at Aliquippa VFW

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Preston Coleman is still in a hospital recovering after police say he was badly beaten inside a VFW in Beaver County early last month.

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His family and friends came together to support him on his 53rd birthday Saturday.

Coleman’s daughter Prashauna Coleman was touched by the fundraiser in honor of her dad.

“To see everyone come together for Preston was just beautiful,” Prashauna Coleman said. “This event was very beautiful. You can tell he’s loved.”

Coleman has been in the hospital since January 5 after Aliquippa Police said at least two men brutally beat him for nearly 30 minutes while at the local VFW.

Coleman was left with broken bones and multiple brain bleeds.

One man turned himself in, but police are still looking for the main suspect, Brett Ours.

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Morgan Resanovich has known Coleman and his family for more than a decade.

He was her customer at the Aliquippa VFW where she used to work and where the attack happened.

“He’s a great guy,” Resanovich said. “He didn’t deserve this. Neither did his family.”

Resanovich helped organize the fundraising event as Coleman slowly improves.

“He’s responsive in a sense that he is lifting his hand, blinking his eyes, mumbling but as far as speaking full sentences, I don’t know about that yet,” said Resanovich.

A total of $10,000 was raised Saturday night. The Aliquippa Rec Committee donated $5,000 and $4,700 was raised from the event. Organizers said all the money will all go toward Coleman and his family.

“We have such great volunteers here, such great community support,” said Jo Galvan with the Hopewell VFW. “I got to meet Preston’s daughter tonight. She’s a wonderful woman and her kids. It was nice for them to come down. I cant even imagine what they’re going through, but just to stop down and show their support was really great.”

Coleman’s daughter Prashauna hopes the other suspect is caught soon and is grateful for the community’s support.

“I just want to say thank you to everybody who had a helping hand in this event,” she said. “Whether you shared the post, came, sent donations, sent baskets, I just want to say it means a lot. He’ll be happy when he sees this.”

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