A Missouri groom who was shot in the head at his wedding remains sedated, but is showing signs of improvement.
As previously reported, Dulce and Francisco Gonzalez - who have been together for over a decade and share two children - were celebrating their marriage with 50 family members in the backyard of their St. Louis, Missouri home.
However, the joyous occasion soon turned into a nightmare when the groom was shot in the head by a masked assailant.
The horrifying incident occurred just before 1:00AM on June 29. Two masked gunmen entered the party through a shared driveway fence, as reported by Fox 2 Now.
The intruders demanded money from the wedding guests, threatening them with guns and ordering them not to move.
Police reported that while one gunman searched the guests' pockets, the other stood behind the 32-year-old groom and shot him in the head several times.
Shockingly, the gunmen fled the scene without taking any money or valuables from the guests.
"They took nothing, yet they took everything from us," said Yaribeth Pena, the bride's sister, in an interview with Fox 2.
Miraculously, Francisco managed to survive the attack but remains in a critical condition in hospital.
“Francisco is still sedated while we’re waiting for the swelling to decrease,” GoFundMe organizer Jeanie Ratliff wrote in a July 2 update. “Otherwise, his vitals are strong. [His wife] has been by his side every day.”
The page was updated today (July 8) which shed further light on Francisco's road to recovery.
"Yesterday, Francisco was aware and squeezed his brother’s hand. This gives hope for a positive recovery," the update explained.
"The medical team have now put Francisco under an induced coma, hoping this will help the swelling decrease faster. No word on how long they expect him to be under."
It went on: "Today, we attended a restaurant fundraiser, a restaurant that is normally closed on Sundays but open today to support the family. Other fundraisers have also been activated to raise money for the family.
"Please continue to keep Francisco’s recovery in your prayers as well as his family that have suffered through so much."
The fundraiser, which has currently raised $33,710 was set up in order to support Francisco's family.
"The family will need help with expenses, including medical bills and the loss of his income. Any support that can be afforded to this sweet family will be greatly appreciated," an initial GoFundMe statement read.
