ENGLEWOOD — Three years ago, Disney Gonzalez started driving for Uber full-time as a form of therapy.
“I lost my second son. He passed away and it was difficult to continue to do the other job,” he said.
But three weeks ago, he accepted a ride in the early morning hours near South Broadway and Evans that threatened his one place for peace.
“As I came to the corner that morning, I realized that there was a group of kids — about five or six kids,” Gonzalez said.
It was too many to fit into his car.
“I said to them, 'I'm sorry guys, but I can only take three people. If you split the group, I can take you.' And they're like, 'Oh come on, we can all get packed in the back.' And I said no,” Gonzalez said.
For a moment, the group of teenagers stepped to the side and then quickly returned to the car. By then, Gonzalez said their tone was more aggressive.
“When I'm about to cancel the ride, one of them, or maybe two of them hit my car with something really big because they bent in the trunk of my car,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said he was shocked and decided to step out of the car. It's a decision he now regrets.
“Two kids jump on me. I try to cover myself and when I'm pushing (one teen)... (another) jumps on this side and hit me with a kick in the mouth,” Gonzalez said.
He turned around, hoping to make it back to his car.
“I turned around and pushed one again, and I feel it right in my back again. Bam, bam,” Gonzalez said.
He had been stabbed several times.
“So in that moment, I realized that my chest was bleeding and I was drenched with blood," Gonzalez said.
Paramedics arrived quickly to save his life. Today, his body is covered in scars and the pain won’t let him forget that day but his main worry now is providing for his family. A GoFundMe is gathering donations to help them.
“I was praying to God, 'Don't let me go yet,. I got a lot to work over here. I got kids who depend on me. My wife doesn't have a job right now,'” Gonzalez said.
The Denver Police Department said they have no arrested anybody in this case. Gonzalez said Uber told him they are cooperating with police.
“You know, I think it's dumb to commit a crime when they got all your information but at the same time, I hope they catch them and they made an example out of them,” Gonzalez said.
It's an example of how one father’s life was almost taken, for nothing more than a ride across town.
