SARASOTA - The family of Auburn running back and former area star Brian Battie, the victim of a May shooting that left his older brother Tommie dead, has turned to the public for help after it was displaced from its home by Hurricane Milton.
The family set up a GoFundMe page, which can be found under Supporting the Battie family , after the May shooting and raised more than $100,000. But with Milton forcing the family out of its home, and with Battie, who was preparing for his second season with the Auburn Tigers, needing brain surgery, the family has again reached out.
"Brian is continuing to work hard each day," his mother Adriene wrote on the updated GoFundMe post. "Last week's hurricane did not stop him from putting in the work to get better. We are displaced temporarily as we wait for our power to be restored. Despite everything, he is still working hard to get stronger each day, showing determination in his recovery journey.
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The Battie brothers were shot outside a business named Hookah Lounge Marrakech, located in the 3400 block of 17th Street, at 3:30 a.m. on a Saturday, May 18. Sarasota County sheriff deputies who responded to the shooting witnessed a large crowd with multiple shooting victims in the parking lot. Four victims were transported to local hospitals in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Tommie Battie, 24, who also played high school football, was pronounced dead at the scene and Brian Battie, 23, was critically injured.
A local tragedy: Auburn running back Brian Battie in critical condition, brother Tommie Battie killed in Sarasota shooting
Days after the incident, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested Manatee resident and former Manatee High football player Darryl Brookins, 28, and charged him with murder, attempted murder, and as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Update: What we know about the shooting that injured Auburn RB Brian Battie and killed his brother Tommie
"Currently, brain surgery has not been scheduled yet," Adriene Battie wrote, "and we are waiting patiently for the right time. (Husband) Tommie and I had a consultation with Brian today and we are considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy as another potential path for Brian’s recovery. We trust that God is our director, guiding us through these challenging times and every step of his recovery. Though the road is long and filled with grief and uncertainty, we know that with faith, all things are possible.
"As we continue to face these challenges, we appreciate our community and all the support, whether through prayers, shares, or donations, your support allows us to focus on being by Brian’s side, trusting in God’s miraculous power to see us through. We are committed to doing everything it takes to help Brian heal and become independent again. Please share our fundraiser with your network. Any additional donations will go directly toward current expenses and needs and Brian’s future medical expenses and therapies, helping us provide him with the best care possible.
"We are truly grateful for the outpouring of love and generosity from each of you, it means more than words can express."
Battie played high school football at Sarasota and Braden River. He signed with South Florida out of high school and in three seasons rushed for 1,842 yards and 10 touchdowns. He transferred to Auburn for the 2023 season. He rushed 51 times for 227 yards and a score, but it was as a kickoff returner that Battie provided his real value. He returned 29 for 645 yards.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Displaced by Milton and needing brain surgery, family of area star Brian Battie reaches out
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