A Georgia woman is grappling with astronomical medical expenses after being severely injured in a shocking acid attack. The incident has left her with life-altering injuries and a daunting path to recovery.
On December 10, Ashley Wasielewski, 46, was strolling near Forsyth Park in Savannah when an unknown assailant suddenly approached and doused her with a caustic substance.
In excruciating pain, Wasielewski managed to run across the street, desperately calling for help until assistance arrived.
Emergency responders treated her at the scene before she was swiftly transported to Memorial Hospital. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to a specialized burn center in Augusta, as confirmed by the Savannah Police Department.
Images following the brutal attack reveal Wasielewski’s devastating injuries, including significant burns to her face, the loss of her hair, and severe damage to her arm, which is now heavily bandaged.
According to Wasielewski’s closest friend, Connor Milam, who spoke with WSBTV, Ashley was on a call with her mother at the time of the attack and had noticed someone trailing her moments before the incident.
‘She turned around to think she was going to have to push them, they poured water on her,’ Milam said.
Milam explained that Wasielewski suffered burns to more than 50 percent of her body, and that the medical bills for her recovery could pile up into millions of dollars
Ashley Wasielewski (pictured), 46, was walking outside of Forsyth Park in Savannah on December 10 when an unknown man threw acid on her
Her hair was singed off and she was left with burns over 50 percent of her body from the attack and is now facing mounting medical bills
‘When you look at your best friend you’ve known for 25 years, and that person’s not there right now – she’s so hurt and broken,’ Milam said.
‘It’s just a flood of emotions constantly trying to keep her in the best spirits we can. She’s a strong person.’
A GoFundMe for Wasielewski, created by her friend Kristen Oddi, said the attack caused her ‘unimaginable pain’.
According to a December 24 update, Wasielewski recently had surgery to graft her burns.
‘The scalp – where the initial contact occurred – remains the most severe of the affected areas,’ Oddi wrote.
Law enforcement is still searching for the acid attack’s perpetrator, whose identity is unknown.
Police previously released a photo of a man in connection with the case, but have since stated they made contact with the man and that he is not a suspect.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and is seeking doorbell or security camera footage from residences near the park.
Wasielewski’s best friend, Connor Milam (pictured), told local news that Wasielewski was on the phone with her mom when she noticed someone was following her
She recently had grafting surgery and the worst of her injuries are on her scalp where the acid first made contact
Wasielewski’s relatives said they know she has a long road to recovery
Savannah Police told the Daily Mail on Friday that there are no significant updates in the case and the investigation is ongoing.
Wasielewski’s son, Westley Wasielewski, told WJCL 22 News his mother first thought water had been thrown on her.
‘I think shortly after she realized that any liquid was even on her, parts of her coat, her leggings were beginning to disintegrate. Then I think the burning set in shortly after that,’ he said.
He said his mother is doing the best she can, but the family knows she has a long road to recovery.
‘She’s hanging in there. It’s a combination of mental and physical, and it really ebbs and flows. She has good moments and bad moments,’ he said.
‘We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but there’s not many people that take care of themselves as well as she does.
‘We’re slowly starting to see that lifelong care is really kind of helping out in this situation with her healing and obviously with her spirit as well.’
