Local

Parents of bar beating victim plead for justice

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The parents of an Orlando man who was left paralyzed after a brutal beating are begging for help finding his attacker.

Nearly a month has gone by since Richard Silverman, Jr., 39, was knocked out in the parking lot of Sharky's Bar on Clarcona Ocoee Road in Orlando, and no arrests have been made.

"Our world was turned upside down," said his mother, Alta Silverman.

For the past month, Alta and her husband Richard Silverman have spent their days and nights at the hospital by their son's bedside praying for answers and a miracle.

"All of this happened Dec. 19 in the early morning hours," said Alta Silverman. "We think this is attempted murder, and no one's been arrested and my son is fighting for his life."

The father and former bodybuilder is recovering at a local hospital.

Sharky's employees told WFTV's Anthony Dilorenzo that the incident started inside with a verbal altercation and ended up outside with the victim being punched in the head and then falling on his face.

"This little guy was punching up on him," said Richard Silverman.

The Silvermans said they rushed to Orlando from their home in Baton Rouge, La.

They told Dilorenzo that they feeling like they've been left in the dark.

Orange County deputies confirmed to Dilorenzo that the case is open and that there is a suspect, but no arrests have been made.

Silverman's parents said they want justice.

"We have to feed him, change his diapers and we have to be there for him. He wanted to take care of mom and dad," said Alta Silverman.

Deputies said they are not identifying the suspect, and they are treating this as a felony battery case.