Beating victim quickly recovering

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A young man who suffered a brutal beating is on the road to recovery, as dozens in the South Florida community joined together in support.

Wednesday afternoon, Rene Betancourt's family and many throughout the community gathered at the St. Jude Catholic Church for mass and to pray for Betancourt's quick recovery.

It seems as if their prayers are being answered. Betancourt's sister, Daniela Herdocia, said, "Rene is a miracle. The doctors do expect a complete recuperation."

The 22-year-old endured a brutal beating Friday night. He went to Downtown Miami to meet up with friends, but was attacked and found in a car parked not far from Jackson Memorial Hospital, Saturday morning.

The skateboarder was admitted in critical condition; however, his family says, he is now in stable condition. "The doctors were encouraging him to walk. He was having a hard time doing that," said Herdocia. "He was finally able to open one of his eyes yesterday. He saw himself in the mirror and said, 'Oh, this is not pretty.'"

"Before my son went into surgery," the victim's father said, "I whispered in his ear, 'Someday, we'll be smiling about this.' We're smiling already. I didn't know that we'd be smiling so fast."

Betancourt's family believes that he could leave JMH in a few days. Herdocia said, "We appreciate people's concern, and everybody's been trying to help."

The family is worried, however, about Betancourt's emotional state; physically, they believe he is a miracle. "In the beginning, I prayed for my son's recovery. Apparently, my prayers have been answered."

Once Betancourt is released from the hospital, his family must decide if he will return home or go to a rehabilitation center.

If you have any information on who is responsible for the beating, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward. The victim's family is working on setting up an additional cash reward.

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