The Attack and Immediate Aftermath

• 💡 Queena Phu, an 18-year-old high school senior, was weeks away from graduation and had a full scholarship to the University of Florida when her life was tragically altered.
• 📌 On April 24, 2008, after working a late shift, Queena stopped at the Bloomingdale Library to return books and was attacked while on the phone with her friend Rachel.
• 🚨 She was found in a ditch behind the library with severe injuries, including a broken jaw and nose, stab wounds, strangulation marks, and hundreds of ant bites, and was airlifted to the hospital.
• 🏥 Doctors initially gave her slim chances of survival, placing her in a medically induced coma due to brain swelling after she briefly woke up terrified and unable to see.

Identifying and Apprehending the Attacker

• 🔍 Investigators received a crucial tip identifying Kendrick Morris, a 16-year-old Bloomingdale High School student, who had been seen sitting on a bench at the library around the time of the attack.
• 🩸 Evidence, including fingerprints on a filed-down plastic Wendy's utensil used as a weapon and at the scene, conclusively linked Morris to the crime.
• 🔗 Morris was also found to be a match for an unsolved sexual assault of a daycare worker 10 months prior, which he committed at age 15.
• 🍔 After the brutal attack, surveillance footage showed Morris calmly going to McDonald's for two Happy Meals and then to Walmart, wearing a heavy coat to conceal potential bloodstains.

Legal Outcome and Sentencing

• ⚖️ In September 2010, Kendrick Morris was found guilty of sexual assault, battery, and kidnapping, receiving two concurrent 65-year sentences.
• ⛓️ Due to a Supreme Court ruling on minor sentencing, Morris later requested a new hearing but was ultimately given life in prison after admitting he would have killed someone if not caught.

Queena's Remarkable Recovery Journey

• 💪 Despite doctors' initial prognosis that she would remain in a vegetative state, Queena's family refused to give up, transferring her to a brain injury rehab center.
• 🧠 For over a decade, Queena has required around-the-clock care for her traumatic brain injury, which left her unable to walk, talk, see, or eat independently.
• 📈 Through extensive therapies (physical, occupational, speech, aqua), she has made unbelievable progress, including standing, walking with assistance, and gaining head movement control.
• 💬 Queena now communicates through facial expressions and laughter, demonstrating her awareness and positive spirit, which her family and therapists attest to.

Enduring Support and Inspiration

• 💖 Years after the attack, Queena finally attended her senior prom with Derek, a therapist's son, who asked her with a special promposal, and the community rallied to make it an unforgettable event.
• 🌟 Her original purple prom dress was altered, and a Harley-Davidson club provided a motorcade escort, showcasing immense community kindness and support.
• 🎗️ Queena's mother, Vanna, has selflessly dedicated her life to her daughter's care, even writing a memoir, "The Life She Once Knew," to inspire others.
• ✅ The Higher Hope Foundation provides grants to families affected by violent crime, supporting medical expenses like Queena's ongoing therapy, highlighting her journey as a true survivor.