UPDATE: After our initial report last week, many people have asked how they could show support for the young Magnolia woman who was the victim of an appearant hate crime.
We just got word from Barb Wade of an event in support of Hannah Geiger.
A community bar-b-que will be held at Magnolia Community Center, 2550 34th Ave W, on Wednesday, June 17 starting at 4pm as a show of support for Hannah Geiger and her family. Please help spread the word and join us as we show this family how much our community cares. Any questions, call Magnolia Community Center at (206) 386-4235.
The attack happened on June 1. Hannah Geiger says she was walking to the Magnolia Community Center about two and a half blocks from her house when the suspects jumped her.
“They kicked me and hit me, they hit me in the face where these bruises are, they got me almost all over. My back hurts from being kicked in the spine,” said Geiger. “I’m sure it’s a hate crime and that’s what gets to me, I don’t understand hate.”
Her mother Ruth Geiger is the pastor at the Magnolia United Methodist Church. She told the TV station that her daughter is a Special Olympian who had just won a silver medal and would much rather show off her medals instead of the deep bruises on her body.
Ruth adopted Hannah from Haiti as an infant with serious medical problems. But she’s overcome many of those ailments except a seizure disorder that requires brain surgery this summer.
“They were racial slurs and slurs about her mental capacity calling her stupid,” said Geiger.
Hannah has won 16 medals at the Special Olympics and all she wants to do is have fun and compete as an athlete. She has one simple question for the men who tried taking away all of her glory.
“All I would do is ask why,” said Geiger.
The attackers are described as white men in their late teens or 20’s with blonde hair. They were possibly driving a Honda. If you witnessed the attack or the suspects about 3:30 PM on Monday near the Magnolia Community Center call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
