A joyful evening celebrating with her community turned into a nightmare for Ninamarie Mendes, a single mother and beloved massage therapist.
According to this GoFundMe fundraiser and another GoFundMe fundraiser, Mendes and her two children were enjoying a Cabo Verde World Cup watch party late last month when they joined an impromptu street celebration afterward in Brockton. As they danced and celebrated, gunfire suddenly erupted. While trying to shield her children, Mendes was struck by three bullets.
While recovering from her injuries, she faces not only the physical and emotional toll the shooting caused, but also financial hardship. As the sole provider for her family, she is unable to work for several months…