Grandma Who Fought Off Racist Attacker To Donate All Funds Raised For Her To The Asian Community

Xiao Zhen Xie, the elderly woman many are calling a true hero, has decided to donate the money raised for her recovery to the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community.

At 10:30 AM on March 17, 76-year-old Xiao Zhen Xie suffered an unprovoked attack at the hands of a white man while waiting at a traffic light on Market Street, in San Francisco. After being punched, she picked up a piece of wood and fought back against her assailant. 39-year-old Steven Jenkins is facing charges of elder abuse and assault for allegedly attacking Xiao Zhen Xie as well as an 83-year-old Vietnamese man.

Xiao Zhen Xie’s grandson, John Chen, organized a GoFundMe campaign called “Help my grandmother recover from this trauma” to pay for her medical expenses. On the GoFundMe page, he stated that Xiao Zhen Xie’s injuries extend far beyond the physical.

She has been severely affected mentally, physically, and emotionally. She also stated that she is afraid to step out of her home from now on.

— John Chen

John Chen also revealed that his grandmother is a cancer survivor and has had diabetes for ten years. In just five days, more than 30,000 people donated $894,054 to the cause.

In his latest update about his grandmother’s condition, John Chen stated that her, “overall mental and physical health has improved” and she is, “starting to feel optimistic again.” She also expressed the importance of fighting back against racism, “to the death if necessary.”

In order to help the AAPI community, Xiao Zhen Xie has expressed her desire to donate all the money raised for her.

She also stated multiple times to donate all the funds generated in this GoFundMe back to the Asian American community to combat racism. She insists on making this decision saying this issue is bigger than Her. This is my grandma, grandpa, and our family’s decision. We hope everyone can understand our decision.

— John Chen, GoFundMe page

Read the full update here:

When we visited our grandma yesterday and today her overall mental and physical health has improved. Her eye is no longer swelled to the point of not being able to open it. She is now starting to feel optimistic again and is in better spirits. She said we must not summit to racism and we must fight to the death if necessary.

She also stated multiple times to donate all the funds generated in this GoFundMe back to the Asian American community to combat racism. She insists on making this decision saying this issue is bigger than Her. This is my grandma, grandpa, and our family’s decision. We hope everyone can understand our decision.

— John Chen, GoFundMe page