NEWAYGO COUNTY, Mich. — Cassie McClain is holding her 7-year-old daughter a little tighter these days after she witnessed her father get assaulted over the holiday weekend.
“She breaks down at night, and she’s mad,” said McClain with tears in her eyes. “She’s real mad. She doesn’t understand. At one point she asked me ‘Why did God let their parents have babies like this? Why do bad people happen?’”
McClain said on Sunday July 3, she, her fiancé Jon Gray, their 7-year-old daughter and several friends went tubing on their annual tubing trip on the Muskegon River at the Maple Island Boat Launch.
She said they had a great time. When it was over, the group split and McClain went to go get their vehicle while Jon, their daughter and a friend went to look for another friend who’d gotten lost earlier.
They shouted his name as they were looking for him, she said. Then three guys responded.
“These three guys approached, and out of nowhere, just started splashing water at people and saying ‘That’s my cousin.’ We’re not looking for your cousin,” McClain recalled. “[Jon] just kept telling him to go away you know ‘leave us alone.’ And they turned to him and started splashing water at him. Immediately after that, punched him in the face.”
McClain said they all assaulted Jon and their daughter witnessed it.
“Three people ganged up on him and were beating him in the face. [They] knocked him down into the water face first, still hitting him while he’s face first in the water,” McClain said. “My daughter is screaming at the top of her lungs. You know ‘That’s my dad. Why are you doing this?’”
McClain shook her head and took a long pause at this point in the interview. Her voice began to shake, and then she cleared her throat.
She continued recounting what happened, saying that his friend, who was getting beat up as well, managed to get the little girl to someone safe.
Then, McClain pulled up.
“I just seen my daughter in somebody else’s arms, just a complete stranger, screaming at the top of her lungs. And, you know, I’m freaking out obviously at that point. I thought she was here. I still see a lot of commotion going on. I can tell that there was a fight that happened. And, I see my [fiancé] walking up from the water and his whole face is just,” McClain paused again and shook her head. “I mean, he’s covered in sand. He’s bloody. Now I’m screaming.”
She then rushed him to Trinity Health Muskegon. She said they took x-rays of his face but they couldn’t find a surgeon who could perform emergency surgery. McClain called hospitals in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Holland and Kalamazoo looking for oral surgeons but no one was available.
A few days later, Jon had surgery. Doctors told them that for the next two to three months, his jaw will be wired shut for recovery.
Meanwhile, her friend Sara Powell created a GoFundMe to help the family with medical expenses, raising more than $2,000 in the first two days.
“We’re just so thankful for everybody, you know all the support we’ve been given financially, emotionally,” McClain said. “Any information that’s been coming out regarding these people, we appreciate all of it.”
Michigan State Police confirmed to FOX 17 via email that they’re investigating the incident, and that day a fight involving 25 people occurred. By the time they arrived the injured person had already been taken to the hospital.
McClain said they plan to press charges. In the meantime she’s going to continue to comfort her daughter and herself. She too struggles with how this could happen to someone with a big heart.
“I tell her ‘You know what babe, just because people are bad right now or have done bad things it doesn’t mean they’re always going to be like that,” McClain said. “ It’s just hard. It’s hard even to find the answers to tell her.”
***For more information on the GoFundMe, click here.***
