Family Raising Money For US Basketball Player Recovering From Brutal Attack In Cyprus

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Family and friends of Corey Manigault are raising money to help the former Paul VI High School basketball standout who is recovering from injuries he received during a brutal attack last month in Cyprus.

Manigault, a 23-year-old member of the AEL Limassol American basketball team, was celebrating a team victory on Nov. 21 when he was brutally beaten outside a nightclub in Nicosia, Cyprus, according to WUSA9.

Manigault's mother, Dr. Sothia Green of Suitland, Maryland, traveled to Cyprus to be with her son during his recovery.

"He's having some medical challenges," said Rev. Dr. Arlecia Simmons, who has been friends with Green since they were children together in South Carolina.

After receiving treatment in an intensive care unit for multiple injuries, including a brain hemorrhage and hematoma, Manigault was moved to a neurology ward on Dec. 1.

"He's come off of whatever drugs he was on," Simmons said. "He was been on the ventilator, and he was intubated. He's able to talk to his mom and knows who is mom is. Of course, you could imagine, he's frustrated in his own way, but he's stable."

On Monday, Manigault was cleared by his doctors to begin the assessment process to determine when he can be transported back the U.S. and what medical support he may need when he gets here. His family plans to bring him back to Prince George's County, Maryland for treatment.

"After that assessment is made, then we'll have some type of clarity about the final cost," Simmons said. "We're hoping it can be done before the end of next week."

Unfortunately, neither Manigault's basketball contract nor his insurance will pay for his repatriation or ongoing medical costs.

"It's going to be a hard road ahead, because he's going to have to be further assessed once he gets into the states," Simmons said.

To help cover some of the repatriation and medical costs, Simmons launched a GoFundMe campaign on Friday with a goal of raising $150,000. As of 8 p.m. on Monday, the campaign had already raised more than $72,000.

"In church, we say it's not equal giving, it's equal sacrifice," Simmons said. "So, there are people who have given $5 and then we had a donor who gave $20,000. But we appreciate every gift. ... We have resources, but it's just a lot to try to piece together."

Manigault played for Paul VI before the private Catholic school moved from Fairfax City to its new home in Chantilly in August 2020. In his senior year, Manigault was named to the First Team All-State and Second Team All-WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference), averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds a game.

In college, Manigault was a member of the Lobos Men's Basketball team at the University of New Mexico, where he played in all 33 games of his senior year.

At the time of the attack, Manigault was living abroad and playing in a European basketball league. Previously, he had played in Bulgaria and Tunisia, according to WUSA9.

Read WUSA9's Full Story: Former St. Paul VI basketball star brutally attacked in Cyprus