Friends Raise Money for Beating Victim

Judy Bennett of Barnegat had bumped into Robert Bethanis in town a time or two. But their actual friendship started in the summer, about two years ago, when Bennett had car trouble, pulling out of the A & P parking lot.

"I was going down south on Route 9, just past the light, and the car just stopped," recalled Bennett, 50.

Bennett pulled the car to the side, put the flashing lights on and was about to call her husband when Bethanis, 44, came along.

"I don't know what he did," Bennett said. "He just went under the hood and fixed it for me."

Now, Bennett said, it is her turn to offer a helping hand.

Along with two other friends of Bethanis, Sonya Dean and Rick Brzostowski, Bennett is organizing a motorcycle run next Sunday, May 20, to benefit Bethanis and his family.

"Bobby is a good person and he shouldn't be left behind," Bennett said.

"He laughs a lot, he's a lot of fun, if you ever need him for anything, he's there," said Dean, 43, of Barnegat. "He's helped me out a couple of times."

"He's been in the hospital for so long, he's unable to work, or do anything right now, so we figured he could use some help," Dean added.

Bethanis remains in at the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, where he was taken unconscious after receiving severe blows outside the .

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, witnesses on the scene that night told the police that they saw Michael Lombardo, of Barnegat, repeatedly strike Bethanis. Lombardo was charged with attempted murder and released on $150,000 bail.

Bethanis, who ran an auto shop prior to the incident, is a father of a teenage son and a grown daughter, and has been a grandfather for a year and two months.

The fundraising event will start with registration at 9 a.m. at Longshots, 535 Route 9 South, in Waretown. The bike run will pull out from the area at around 10:30 a.m.

Following the bike run, there will be a party at Longshots with entertainment, door prizes and silent auction selling baskets with gift certificates from local shops and other goodies. Bennett said she weaved the baskets herself. Buffet at Longshots will be included with a $25 per person donation.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Longshots.

The organizers hope to sell all 250 tickets, and those tickets are going fast, Bennett said.

"My goal is to raise $10,000," she said.

According to the organizers, the community has been by and large supportive of their effort.

"So far we've gotten a pretty positive response," said Dean. "Most people think it's a good idea that'll help him and his family out."

After remaining on a respirator, heavily sedated for several weeks, Bethanis did awaken, though he is yet to truly acknowledge the people who love him, his family and friends said.

Once the condition stabilized a bit, the pace of recovery slowed, according to Roberth Bethanis' father, Robert Bethanis, 63, also of Barnegat.

"Medically, he is doing well but, still has a long way to go physically and neurologically," Bethanis said. "Therapists are working with Bob and his condition is slowly improving." 

Bethanis said his son had recently started to speak.

"A lot of what he says doesn't make a lot of sense yet, sometimes yes, sometimes no," Bethanis said.

Dean, who has been in to see the patient, as one of his close friends, said it was both heartening to see Bethanis awake, and hard at the same time.

"When I last saw him, he didn't talk, or anything, but he was awake," said Dean, who last visited Bethanis "two Mondays ago," she said. "But compared to the last time or the time I had seen him previously it was an improvement."

As for Bennett, she said she isn't ready for that visit yet.

"I'm not ready to go in and see him like that," Bennett said. "He needs his rest and he probably doesn't want other people to see him that way."

Bethanis expressed appreciation to Dean, Bennett and Brzostowski for their efforts. He also thanked all those who contributed and those who purchased tickets on behalf of his son. 

"We're looking forward to the event," Bethanis said.

For more information, call Sonya Dean at (609) 276-1210.