Funding Evans Healing- Ambushed Veteran Survives

We have surpassed our initial goal!! Thank you all for your continuous support and love. We are awe struck by the amazing donations and the wonderful sense of community that has encompassed Evan as he heals. He is moving forward and breaking down barriers and goals every day. We are so grateful! Each day Evan is showing us the warrior he is. Nothing is going to dampen his spirit. We were so appreciative of the multiple new stories and updates on Evans attack. The coverage helped spread his story wider than we could have ever anticipated. We are all here by his side as he works harder and harder each day to regain balance and control over his life. We do not have any new updates on the suspects but our focus isn't on them. We are here for Evan.

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We are the Hershey Family and we don’t know what to say; so we will do our best to share what we can. Evan, our son, brother, and friend needs our help. On February 20, 2024, just before 11pm, Evan was ambushed by multiple gunmen in a drive-by shooting while driving home from work. Over twenty shots of handgun and rifle rounds riddled Evan’s car, hitting him on multiple occasions. The most damaging of them struck his right flank, destroying Evan’s right kidney, and striking his spinal cord. Without the control of his lower body, Evan defended himself by completing a controlled stop of his vehicle, rendering self care, coordinating with emergency services and entrusted his employer to contact his parents. Evan’s courage under fire saved his own life.

Evan is a Navy veteran, serving 2 years as a Ceremonial Honor Guard and 6 years as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman. For the past 7 years, he has provided protective services to public figures ensuring their safety around the clock. His professional career has required him to stay in top physical condition. Evan has been active his entire life earning a black belt in karate by the time he was 11 years old and never slowing down.

Evan is always the first to aid another whenever a need arises. He has always acted selflessly in service to others. Vocalizing his wishes for everyone to be happy and know they are loved. He has a very special and rare way of bringing joy to others. Evan has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his community and his teammates. His cheerful energy and awesome sense of humor continues to be his trademark. You can see that trademark glint in his eyes in some of these photos we are sharing.

Thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support, prayers and encouragement. We are thankful for the outpouring of concern, prayers and love shared. They have meant so much to all of us as we attempt to make sense of this senseless violence. We are also thankful for Evan’s employer and colleagues who have gone above and beyond in arguably the most difficult challenge we, as a family have faced.

As we move forward with this new challenge, it has become apparent that Evan will contend with a “new normal.” His independence will likely look very different from what he has known. Evan will need special accommodations to gain and maintain his independence. While we are only at the very beginning of understanding the needs arising throughout his recovery, he will definitely need financial support to modify a living space that will support him living independently in a wheelchair. Evan’s needs will also include modifying a vehicle which has to be replaced as his car was totaled. We are certain he will discover more challenges as he enters into several weeks of intensive rehabilitation. We have set up this GoFundMe on Evan’s behalf just trying to be as proactive and as supportive as possible. If you are in a place to help, your kindness would mean so much to us and to Evan. If you can share this with as many friends as possible, we would be eternally grateful.

Our family is united around Evan and we invite you to join us. For all those who already have contributed to his recovery and those planning to support this GoFundMe, Thank You.

King 5 News reports as new developments are discovered.