Woman hurt in Savannah acid attack discharged from burn center; long road to recovery still ahead
By Brooke Butler
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SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — A woman who suffered severe burns after an attacker threw acid on her while she walked at Forsyth Park has been discharged from the Augusta Burn Center, where she was being treated, according to her son.
The discharge of 46-year-old Ashley Wasielewski comes nearly three weeks after the Dec. 10 attack. She suffered third-degree burns over more than 50% of her body and has undergone multiple surgeries.
“She’s hanging in there,” her son, Westley Wasielewski, told WJCL 22 News. “It’s a combination of mental and physical, and it really ebbs and flows. She has good moments and bad moments.”
Her recovery is expected to be lengthy and demanding. We’re told Wasielewski will remain in the Augusta area to keep receiving treatment, while family members continue commuting from north Georgia to support her.
“We’ve got a long road ahead of us,” her son said. “But there’s not many people that take care of themselves as well as she does. We’re slowly starting to see that lifelong care is really kind of helping out in this situation with her healing and obviously with her spirit as well.”
Family members said the outpouring of community support has been overwhelming. Friends established an online fundraiser to help cover medical and recovery costs, which has raised more than $288,000. In addition, local businesses and the FBI are offering a combined $121,000 in reward money for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
“We are so blessed to have this outreach and this community coming together for her. I think it’s a testament to the people of Savannah as well. A lot of these larger business owners and the community leaders are kind of coming together for this, and it may have some positive initiatives behind it with the park security or cameras or anything along those lines,” Westley Wasielewski said.
Authorities said Ashley Wasielewski was walking along the outer edge of Forsyth Park near Whitaker Street and West Waldburg Street shortly after 8 p.m. when she was attacked from behind. Her son said she had just left a children’s Christmas event at a local church.
According to the FBI, an unknown man wearing dark clothing approached her and poured acid on her before fleeing. Investigators said the substance caused severe burns.
Wasielewski’s son said that at first, his mother thought water had been splashed on her.
“I think shortly after she realized that any liquid was even on her, parts of her coat, her leggings were beginning to disintegrate. Then I think the burning set in shortly after that,” he said.
The FBI and Savannah Police Department said they have received dozens of tips since asking the public on Dec. 19 for security and doorbell camera footage from the area. Investigators are still reviewing tips and continue to seek additional photos or video.
Law enforcement has not reported any suspects at this time.
“Savannah’s such a special place to my mother,” Wasielewski said. “I don’t know if it technically will feel the same if [the attacker] is not caught.”
Wasielewski said he still believes the attack was random. He hopes the person behind this attack will do the right thing and turn themself in. In the meantime, he said he is confident his mother will rebound from her injuries.
“You can try and knock her down, but out of all of the people to possibly pick, Ashley Wasielewski is not going to fall down. She’s going to stand back up, and she is going to grow and learn through this process,” he said.
If you would like to donate to Wasielewski’s GoFundMe, you can click here.
The FBI and Savannah police have established a digital tip line for the public to submit information, including photos and videos, at fbi.gov/forsythparkattack.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can also be reported to Savannah Area Crimestoppers at 912-234-2020.
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