Marriage plans brutally turned off

Dear Friends,

This is a petition to ask for your support for Dan Teodorescu, a Romanian citizen who is currently a resident of Richmond, Virginia.  Here is his story:

On October 7, 2007, while under a legal work contract with a mobile ice cream company, Danny (affectionately known by his friends) was shot in the back and left for dead while selling ice cream from the company van, parked in an elementary school playground on a Sunday afternoon.  It is the story of an honest guy, trying to make an honest living, in the "land of opportunity" so that he and Irina (his partner of 12 years) could get married and have a better life than his own country can provide.  Eleven days before leaving the U.S. to go back to Romania to get married on November 10, he is rushed to the hospital where he undergoes surgery for five hours.    The bullet entered Danny's back on the right side, passed through his right shoulder, severing his clavicle shoulder bone, bouncing off his collar bone, badly damaging his vocal cords and exiting the left side of his neck. Even though he has regained the use of his voice and right arm, there was a great deal of nerve damage and his doctors have indicated that Danny will probably never regain full strength in his right arm and shoulder. His voice is forever changed. (Read more about Danny's story on his website: www.helpdanny.net ) All of this because someone in the U.S. wanted to rob him of the small money he collected selling ice cream.  He spent the next 22 days in the hospital.  While he was hospitalized, Irina was denied a visa to be with her finance by the U.S. Embassy in Romania.

When leaving the hospital, Danny wanted desperately to return home and be with Irina to recover. This was not to happen. The police arrested the guy who shot Danny and the prosecutor begged Danny to stay and testify at the trial, because "without Danny, this guy would be free to continue his long history of violence, perhaps killing the next victim".  You see Danny's assailant was out of jail on bail from previously nearly beating a man to death, when he shot Danny. Since all of the witnesses to this violent act were afraid to testify, Danny stayed for the trial.  Irina was brought to the U.S.  to testify as a witness since she was on the phone with Danny when he was shot.  The U.S. Embassy again denied Irina a visa, so she was brought to the U.S. for 11 days as a "Parolee of Interest" by the Department of Homeland Security.   Because of Danny and Irina's testimony, the shooter was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison.  He won't hurt, or perhaps kill, another U.S. citizen.

But Danny's problems weren't over.  While in the hospital, he was told that Workman's Compensation was denying his claim, saying it was a "random act of violence" and unrelated to his job. Facing over $100,000 in medical bills and being overwhelmed psychologically from the incident and his injuries, Danny is again denied the ability to have Irina by his side. He continues to stay in the U.S. while a pro bono attorney manages to convince the Workman's Comp insurance company that the incident was indeed related to his job. Danny is granted the award of declaration that his case does fall under Workman's Compensation, just three days before the hearing was to be held. Danny is granted lifelong medical care related to the shooting, along with payment of all his medical bills. Where will he get the continued care he needs?  In the U.S., and once again Irina is denied a visa in order that she can come here so they can finally get married.

This petition is simply to say "LET IRINA COME TO THE U.S."   Let her come and marry the guy who took a criminal off our streets; a guy who works hard, isn't an illegal alien, isn't a burden to anyone. Irina and Danny just want to get married.  After spending a honeymoon in the U.S., Irina would then return to Romania and wait for Danny to come to her there.  Let's say thanks for getting a criminal off the streets, and we're sorry this shooting happened in the U.S. by letting two people get married. It's simple. Let Irina have a tourist visa to the U.S. Please sign and send it along to your friends to show that we reward, not punish, those who help us.

If you have any questions please contact us at petition2@gmail.com.

Thank you very much for your support, and for signing and passing this petition to your friends/relatives.