ORLANDO, Fla. – A free Pitbull concert held last month raised more than $1 million for the family of officer Kevin Valencia, who has been receiving treatment since he was shot in the head a year ago while responding to a hostage situation.
The office of attorney Dan Newlin, which organized the community event, said Monday that the money raised has been presented to the Fraternal Order of Police so that it can be distributed to the Valencia family.
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Newlin wrote in a letter to the organization that he and Meghan Valencia came up with the idea because she wanted to bring her husband home but she didn't have the financial resources to make the necessary renovations to her house.
They also hoped the event would highlight Kevin Valencia's ongoing struggle because they both feared that members of the community had forgotten that he's still receiving treatment.
"Today, I’m humbled and proud that we were able to raise not only substantial community awareness of Officer Valencia’s story and his continued struggle to survive, but at the same time raise slightly over 1 Million Dollars to help the Valencia family," Newlin wrote.
Kevin Valencia was receiving care at Shepherd Center, a brain and spinal cord rehabilitation center near Atlanta, until February, when he was moved back to Orlando.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help pay for his medical expenses.