Vicktor Silcock, 25, is able to sit up from his hospital bed and talk to his family. His condition was upgraded from critical to serious. He has had part of his skull removed to ease the swelling in his brain.
Huntington Beach police say the beating stemmed from a fight between teenagers at Murdy Park on Friday. Silcock's girlfriend tried to intervene, but the teens turned on her. That's when he tried to help. Police say he left, and the teens followed him to a shopping center where the beating occurred.
"He remembers going to the park, he remembers seeing other kids fighting and he remembers running and that's all," said Silcock's adoptive mother, Ann Belles.
Belles adopted Silcock when he was 12 years old. He's one of the 59 disabled children she and her husband, Jim Silcock, have adopted over the years. The family is well-known in Orange County. Vicktor Silcock had a learning disability, but now he faces more surgery and rehabilitation.
"I think everybody is sort of feeling a bit helpless, but I guess also a little bit encouraged by his progress," said Belles.
Four juveniles have been arrested on attempted murder charges. Police are still asking witnesses to come forward.
As her son recovers, Belles hopes the community can move forward.
"I feel really compelled to try to help my city heal from this and, you know, in some way contribute to making the park safer for everybody," said Belles.
Anyone with information about the fight was asked to call the Huntington Beach Police Department at (714) 536-5971.
