Teacher's aide in Matanzas attack is grateful for outpouring of support

Joan Naydich said she has not watched the video seen by millions: the video of her being viciously beaten by a person identified as a 6-foot-6-inch, 270-pound special-needs student at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast.

And she said she's not planning on watching it, either.

“No, no. I've been asked by my doctors to not see it, ” Naydich said, “just due to how gory it probably is.”

She said in a phone interview that she is concentrating on her recovery after the Feb. 21 attack.

“I'm having a hard enough time, healing with the broken ribs and the concussion that I have sustained and trouble sleeping," she said. "I’m just having a really hard time and been told not to see it, so I choose not to see it.”

Brendan Depa, 17, was charged as an adult with aggravated battery on a school board employee, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. He was being held in the Duval County jail.

Depa has a pre-trial hearing at 2:30 p.m. on April 5 before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center in Bunnell. Perkins has ordered that Depa undergo a mental health examination after Depa's defense attorney filed a motion stating he did not believe his client was competent to stand trial. 

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Court documents indicate Depa was staying at East Coast Habilitation Options, known as ECHO, a group home in Palm Coast which according to the organization’s Facebook page is “for behaviorally challenged children and young adults.” A help-wanted ad says the home “helps children, teens, and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavior challenges.”

Depa had three prior misdemeanor battery charges in Hillsborough County.

The 58-year-old Naydich told the News-Journal that she had no memory of the attack.

“It just shouldn't have happened. It should never, really happen ever again to anyone,” Naydich said.

One positive note? She has received a tremendous amount of support from people all over about the incident.

She said she has heard from people nationally and internationally about the incident.

“I'm overwhelmed by the response,” she said. “I'm just overwhelmed and very grateful.”

She said she could not say if she would ever be able to return to work at school.

“I can't answer that question,” she said. “I have no idea.”

She said she is being monitored by different specialists but declined to go into detail.

Besides working at Matanzas High School, Naydich also had a second job before the attack working the front desk at Palm Coast Lanes, a bowling alley. Naydich goes to the bowling alley to watch her son, Morgan, bowl. She said she has competed in some bowling tournaments in the past.

“I did bowl. But my son is the bowling superstar in this family,” she said.

Touched by outpouring of support

Naydich said she is thankful for the support she has received, as people send flowers, cards, and contributions. She said she's been touched by stories people have shared with her.

“It’s just been people sharing their own stories with me,” Naydich said. “I can't say similar circumstances, but you know people have shared with me incidences of tragic or traumatic events.”

Has her experience made her more careful of being around other people?

“I can’t judge the general population over this one incident,” she said. “The only thing I do is make sure that my circle of people that I have is small. And I keep it that way."

Naydich successfully got a permanent injunction against Depa, who is barred from coming anywhere near her.

She said as she has before that she did not take Depa's Nintendo Switch away, which is what was how the incident was initially reported. She said Depa was in a "heated" conversation with the teacher who was warning him that he may no longer be able to have the video console to use at school.

“And that's when he started lashing out at me,” Naydich said. “I tried to exit the room and I left the room.”

She said she left the room and was walking to a safer place to de-escalate the situation. She said she did not believe Depa was coming after her.

"Apparently, he had a change of heart and a change of mind because that's what he did and apparently he came after me,” Naydich said.

One-on-one

She said she had had some other incidents with Depa but nothing serious. She said typical things when a teenager doesn’t like being told "no."

“There were other mild incidents but nothing of this caliber. If you tell a child 'no' they are going to argue with you until you say 'yes,'” Naydich said.

Naydich said she was assigned to be the “one-on-one" person with Depa.

She said most of her days lately are spent between doctors' appointments and returning calls and emails.

Naydich has a daughter, Nikki Cummings, who graduated from Matanzas High School. Her son will graduate this year and was in school when she was attacked.

“He saw me after the assault,” Joan Naydich said. “He said it was very hard to see me beat.”

Fundraiser nears $100,000 goal

One indication of how much support Naydich has gotten is financial. A gofundme campaign has raised $99,200, almost reaching her goal of $100,000. And it's not just the mostly modest contributions - it is the kind words that go along with them.

“Joan I send you my sincere concern and great hope for complete recovery. I’m a retired teacher and we educators give our hearts to those kids! I was horrified by that video. I hope you can rest at home as long as necessary,” wrote Chris King.

“As an educator, my heart breaks that this happened to you. My thoughts, prayers, well wishes, and love go out to you and your family,” wrote Sarah Taylor.

“I am so sorry for what you have been through. You and your family are in my prayers,” wrote Veronica Vallejo.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Teacher's aide in Matanzas attack is thankful for support