In the early hours of the morning on Saturday, September 18, 2021, my son, Chad Waldrop, a collegiate swimmer at St. Cloud State University, was minding his own business inside his home when he heard what he believed to be screams from a female outside. Being the good Christian that he is, he went outside to make sure everything was okay. He saw one male and one female arguing. When he asked if everyone was okay, The male responded to Chad with “mind your f*****g business." Chad then turned around to head back inside his home. This is when he attacked him from behind, knocking Chad to the concrete sidewalk below him and rendering him unconscious. According to several eye witnesses, He then got on top of him and proceeded to punch and beat him in the head and face, resulting in a broken nose in 4 places, fractures to both cheekbones/upper jaw, a broken left cheekbone, multiple other facial fractures, bilateral black eyes, superficial hemorrhaging in the eyes, chipped teeth, multiple cuts and bruising internally and externally throughout his face/head. One of the teeth punctured through his mouth, resulting in Chad requiring multiple stitches at the ER. We have been told by the doctor that Chad will need to have 5 plates inserted into his face to hold the broken pieces of bone together while they heal, his jaw wired shut to keep it stable during healing, as well as multiple surgeries to repair and reconstruct his facial structures, including his nose so that he can breath properly. According to the witnesses, after the attacker stopped punching Chad, he and the female, then dragged Chad's unconscious body around his home trying to find a place to hide him. They ended up breaking into his home through the unlocked back door and left him for dead drowning in his own blood. This is where the SCPD's first responding officer found Chad. Luckily two of Chad’s neighbors witnessed the entire event beginning to end and were able to call law enforcement, who were able to arrive on scene quickly. Thank you to the good people that called  911 and saw the events in entirety, the SCPD waited days before attempting to obtain official statements from them. The attacker was apprehended that morning, but let go shortly after. As of Saturday, September 25, 2021 he was walking around the SCSU campus freely. We have had difficulties getting actions and answers from the SCPD as well as SCSU until recently when the story started to spread across social media. Think you to all who pushed for this. Think you to the SCPD for moving.

Chad is heading back to Charleston, SC where he will undergo his first of several facial surgeries in an attempt to correct the damage done. This attack has also forced him to take a minimum of one semester off from school, resulting in a delay in his graduation, while the attacker is able to continue attending his classes.

My family and I ask that you please continue to pray for Chad, and sign this petition, 

Thank you,

Jerry Waldrop