Pastor shot in head in road rage incident says angels 'took the bullets for me'
Pastor Steven Simon attended a fundraiser in his honour on Saturday at the St. John Haitian United Methodist Church in Boynton Beach.
Simon was the victim of a road rage incident on a West Palm Beach highway on July 31. He was shot twice in the head by another driver, who remains at large.
Hundreds of people came out to show their support for him, and to donate money that will go towards his medical bills. The Straight Way to Heaven A.O.K. (Advancement of the Kingdom) Ministries pastor shared his testimony and giving God the praise for his miraculous recovery.
"I can say that there were angels that took the bullets for me," Simon said, according to WPTV, a bandage on his forehead covering the gunshot wound.
"You can literally see where the bullet had stopped. It was almost like God said, 'You can't go any further than this.'"
Simon was in a medically-induced coma until Aug. 4. His wife, Emma, reported last month that he was regaining his vision, and was getting back to his old self.
"And the doctor said, 'You may never see in that eye again,'" Simon testified Saturday. "Doctors declared that I might be a vegetable. Doctors declared that I might never have the same personality. But, I'm here today."
The 22-year-old pastor was able to give police a description of the shooter and the car he was driving. The Martin County Sheriff's Office is looking for a white man with white hair, who was driving a gold Chrysler Concorde. Although they have received 50 to 60 tips regarding the road rage incident, there are no solid leads.
"None of those [tips] are what we would call a smoking gun," Sheriff William Snyder told The Palm Beach Post.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding page has been created to support Simon's wife, their two children, Jed and Jael, and Straight Way to Heaven, as they navigate Simon's recovery. So far, over $3,800 has been raised.