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Trigger warning: This article contains information about graphic violence.
An 18-year-old high school student named Queena Phu was brutally attacked and r*ped on the night of April 24, 2008, near the Bloomingdale Regional Library in east Hillsborough County. She was left senseless, paralyzed, and blinded with a severe head injury behind the library. The once-bright student was left scarred for life.
Her story, as an assault survivor, is now scheduled to become the subject of #TextMeWhenYouReachHome's upcoming episode. The episode, titled Queena Phu, will air on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 9 pm ET on Lifetime.
It was later discovered that a teenager named Kendrick Morris was arrested and found guilty of attacking the 18-year-old weeks before her high school graduation. She has been making a slow recovery ever since, still wheel-chair bound and under 24-7 care.
Fourteen years and a memoir later, the world is prepared to know Queena Phu's story and here are five things to know about her ahead of the episode premiere.
Five lesser-known facts about assault survivor Queena Phu
1) Queena Phu was at the top of her high school's graduating class
Queena was an outstanding student in high school who spent most of her time reading and getting straight As before the attack. Her peers knew her as a lively, nerdy, and kind companion.
Phu volunteered actively at care centers, her school's Best Buddies initiative, and maintained close relations with disabled people. She was a sociable person who participated in every conceivable extracurricular activity. She was also a part of the student council and participated religiously in sports like volleyball and soccer.
When it came to the graduating class of 2008, Queena ranked among the top students and was all set to leave for college at the University of Florida.
2) She had a full-time scholarship to University of Florida
Queena had just turned 18 a few days prior to the assault and was one of the top graduates in the class of 2008 at her high school, just weeks away from the ceremony. She received an academic scholarship to the University of Florida and was reportedly eager to become a Florida Gator.
Unfortunately, all her hopes and dreams came crashing down on the night of April 24, 2008 when she was attacked and left senseless with severe brain trauma, struggling to recover till this day. The girl who so actively participated in helping the needy in the neighborhood now resides with her mother, who takes care of her 24-7.
3) Queena Phu attended her high school prom with the community's assistance
The attack on Queena Phu occurred about a week prior to her high school prom. Derrick Perez, a student at Bloomingdale High School and the victim's best friend, asked her out to prom. The community stepped up with contributions as prom night got closer. From alterations to Phu's prom dress to a prom ticket, individuals came forward and helped her with all of the preparations.
Reports state that Perez arrived for prom night looking handsome in a tuxedo and sporting a brand-new haircut, while Queena beamed brightly in her stunning gown as she got set to enjoy the night that she had been looking forward to. The fact that the neighborhood came together to help her for prom night makes her story even more memorable.
4) Her mother, Vanna Nguyen, wrote a memoir on her survival story
The Life She Once Knew, a memoir written by Queena Phu's mother, Vanna Nguyen, details the assault on her daughter and the efforts made by her family and the community to aid in her recovery. It is a tale of pain and resilience that details Phu's predicament after she survived a vicious assault but was left permanently incapacitated.
Nguyen committed her whole life to providing Queena with round-the-clock nursing, treatment, and rehabilitation. She too understands what it takes to survive, having risked her life in 1981 to escape Vietnam. She has placed her family's most challenging chapters in the book after decades of prayer and reflection.
While talking about the memoir, physical therapist Nicole Garcia reportedly said,
"It's more than just one story. Her life being affected, affected everyone's life in her life."
She added,
"It's the story of how you overcome bitterness and how you forgive and how you move forward when it feels like you've lost control of everything that mattered. They're definitely an example of how to overcome and keep your joy."
5) To date, Queena Phu redefines courage and determination
Remembered as the 'Bloomingdale library attack survivor,' the attack didn't stop Queena from making a recovery. Although the attack left her blind, wheelchair-bound, and traumatized for life, Phu and her family have remained fiercely determined to overcome the odds and battle for an ordinary life.
Numerous members of the community have been motivated by her to have faith in their own abilities and in the goodwill of those around them. Because of her perseverance and positive attitude, Queena has shown that a physical disability need not be a barrier to a successful and happy life.
She consistently puts in the utmost effort while undergoing daily intensive treatment. Her current goal is to serve as a shining example for people who are experiencing difficulties in their own lives.
As previously mentioned, Queena Phu's story will air on Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome this Monday, August 15, at 9:00 pm ET.
