Family Wants Answers After Attack In University Village Leaves Man In Coma

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Family members want to know how a man ended up in a coma. He was found beaten and bloodied on the ground in the 1400 block of West Taylor in University Village early Friday morning.

"The whole side of his head was bloody," said bouncer Chris Thomas.

Thomas is talking about what he saw before dawn Friday when a 31-year-old Chicago man was beaten nearly to death on Taylor Street.

"A girl came screaming up to me, pounding on the window saying someone is on the ground and is hurt," said Thomas.

When he got outside, he saw Andrew O'Connell lying in his own blood.

"He was unconscious, not responding to anything," said Thomas.

A female witness claimed to have seen what knocked him out.

When the girl told me, she said he was being kicked in the head on the ground," said Thomas.

Paramedics rushed O'connell to the hospital where he came to for a while, but then his condition degenerated so doctors put him into a coma.

"They did have to open up his skull to relieve the pressure and get bleeding off the brain," said Liz Wos, the victim's sister.

Now more than four days later O'connell is still comatose.

"There will be brain damage," said Wos.

Wos and other family members have been at O'Connell's bedside trying with their presence to send a message of hope.

"Andrew will not be alone for one minute through this whole ordeal," said Wos.

And she had this message for whoever's actions put her brother in the hospital.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," said Wos.

But she says in that shame lie the seeds of possible redemption.

Wos says that if she could talk to the victim, she would say, "There's a chance for you to redeem yourself. Do the right thing. Turn yourself in."

Friends are trying to help raise money now for Andrew's extensive medical bills and have set up a website at youcaring.com.