Young man headed to college on basketball scholarship now recovering from being shot in face
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A promising athlete faces a long recovery after being shot in the face at a suburban party.
Nathan Otero – Nate for short – was supposed to be preparing to play basketball on a college scholarship. But now, he has suffered life-changing injuries.
CBS 2's Marybel González talked Wednesday night with Otero's mother about his life-changing injuries.
"Heartbreaking," said Miriam Rivera.
It is a parent's worst nightmare.
"I would never have thought, in a million years, I would get that phone call at 11:30 at night," Rivera said.
That call on Friday, June 2, was to inform Rivera that her son had been shot at a party he attended in Aurora.
"He did not know nobody at this party," Rivera said.
But Otero did have a lot to celebrate. He had just graduated from St. Patrick High School in Belmont Central, and was preparing to go to St. Mary's University of Minnesota on a four-year scholarship for basketball.
"He wasn't there no more than 15 minutes when he got shot right in the face," Rivera said.
Years of preparation have now been put on hold due to the devastating injuries.
"They had to cut his skull open," Rivera said. "They were saying that he already had brain damage, and he wasn't going to make it through the night."
But Otero is fighting the odds. His mom, who has been by his side at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Streeterville, said they finally got some good news after weeks.
After being told by doctors he may never walk again, Otero took his first steps this week.
"God has a plan for my son, and this will be his testimony – and he will come back greater than ever," Rivera said.
Otero is determined, his mom says, to get back onto the basketball court.
"Basketball is his dream," Rivera said, "He tells me, he's like, 'I'm going to make it to the NBA.'"
Joe Fano, head coach at St. Mary's University of Minnesota, says Otero's spot and scholarship will be waiting for him whenever he is ready.
"Whether it's this year, next year, two years down the road – he has a spot on our team no matter what," said Fano. "So just know, Nathan – you have a lot of people behind you – not just at home in Chicago, but here in St. Mary's, and all the teammates as well."
Everyone is cheering Nate Otero on.
"We have no doubt that he's going to fight through and get through this," Fano said.
Aurora police have not yet announced any arrests in this case.
Otero's mom is asking anyone with information to come forward – and she has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for medical costs.