Mohegan Sun Workers Rally For Coworker Fighting For His Life

UNCASVILLE, CT—Johnny Luong, 51, opened his eyes nearly a month after he was beaten so badly that the Mohegan Sun bartender suffered severe brain trauma. When he was attacked, Luong’s wife Kitty was nine months pregnant. She gave birth to their child on June 7 while her husband was in an ICU fighting for his life.

A GoFundMe campaign was created by East Lyme resident Jackie Cryer, a co-worker and friend of Luong’s. Her goal was to help raise money to support Kitty and the baby as the new mother has no family in the States, and “no income,” Cryer said.

In her message on GoFundMe, created at the end of May, Cryer wrote:

“On May 4th Johnny Luong was assaulted and as a result has been hospitalized in Hartford Hospital in ICU ever since. Johnny's wife kitty is pregnant and is expecting a baby boy June 7th . Johnny's condition is critical he has suffered severe brain trauma and had had several strokes as well . Kitty has to decide if she wants to put Johnny on life support which means a tracheotomy and a feeding tube . As you can imagine this is a difficult decision to make. Kitty has no immediate family in the United States to help support her during this difficult time . I am asking for donations for kitty and her unborn baby boy as she has no income at this time . There is a baby shower that will supply her with all the baby items she needs but she needs financial support at this time please no amount is too small anything is greatly appreciated thank you so much.”

Donations began coming in. Now, the campaign is “trending” on the fundraising site. And there were two important and poignant updates Cryer shared.

A few days before the expected birth of his child, Luong opened his eyes.

“Johnny has opened his eyes and has moved his right arm and leg on command, this is the best news ever. Keep up the prayers and thanks for all the donations, kind words, the outpour of love, and the well wishes are amazing, Kitty is overjoyed xoxo”

And then, Kitty gave birth to a healthy boy.

“Johnny and Kitty welcomed a healthy baby boy,” Cryer wrote. Their son Anh Minh Luong was 7 pounds and 7 ounces. Cryer wrote “baby and mom are doing" great.

In 12 days, 246 people have raised $10,809, according to the GoFundMe page.

But the support for the family has gone beyond donations of money.

Friends and colleagues went a step further and did a clean-up at the Luong’s Uncasville house to prepare it for Kitty and the baby.

The Norwich Bulletin reported a fundraising event for the Luong family will be held at the well-known and popular ‘Ping’s,’ formally the Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant in Montville on July 16.

Luong has worked at Mohegan Sun since 1999. A co-worker told the paper that Luong is well-liked by colleagues and is a person who helps others, including with home repairs. Indeed, a recent post on Luong's Facebook page documents his efforts to help repair a friend’s furnace.

Police charged a tenant of Luong's with felony assault: 'The sound of the victim's head hitting the asphalt is loud enough to be heard on video from across the street.'

Luong rents his Uncasville property and had been having trouble with a tenant who had not been paying rent and whom Luong was seeking to evict. The tenant, Emanuel Neri, also worked a the casino. He'd asked Luong for more time to pay.

Citing a Norwich Police report and court documents, The New London Day reported Neri paid $360 a month to live in Luong's house and had failed to keep up on payments. Additionally, the landlord and tenant had a rocky relationship with Neri complaining about Luong and Luong fighting to be paid the rent he was owed. Luong also claimed that Neri had assaulted his pregnant wife.

Things came to a head on May 4.

Reports say Luong was driving his car when he saw Neri on the street. The two men had words and Neri allegedly threw an object at Luong, who got out of his car and pursued Neri.

According to police reports, Norwich police were called to an incident on Central Avenue and 14th Street and there found Luong "lying in the middle of the roadway ...bleeding from the head." A Norwich police officer "provided first aid to Luong, holding his head to ensure he did not injure himself further." Luong was "bleeding from the mouth, had labored breathing and was in and out of consciousness. The back of his skull felt broken and there was blood coming out of his ears."

There is witness video of the altercation where police say,"Neri slams into the victim's face with his arm and shoulder ...(t)he victim's head snaps backward and the victim falls back. The victim lands on his back, and the back of his head hits the asphalt roadway. The sound of the victim's head hitting the asphalt is loud enough to be heard on video from across the street."

Luong "suffered a skull fracture and a and a traumatic brain injury known as intercerebral hematoma, along with several strokes."

A health care worker told Norwich police investigators "that when Luong's head hit the pavement, his brain hit the back and front of his skull, causing bleeding in two separate places. He underwent surgery and was put in an induced coma."

According to online court documents, Neri was charged May 4 with second-degree assault, a felony, as well as a misdemeanor breach of the peace charge. Neri pleaded not guilty when arraigned, court records show.

Neri is being held at the on $40,000 bail at Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in Uncasville.

In March, Neri was arrested and charged with breach of peace and resisting an officer, both misdemeanor charges. It’s reported this case is not related to Neri's present case.

Neri’s next court date on both cases is set for Friday, June 14.