**Title**: Teacher's Aide Speaks Out After Brutal Attack by Student in Viral Video
**Sapo**: Joan Naydich, the teacher's aide who was savagely attacked by a student in a viral video, shares her harrowing experience and the lasting impact of the assault.
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**Article**:
In an exclusive interview with FOX 35 Orlando, Joan Naydich, the victim of a brutal attack captured on a surveillance camera at Matanzas High School in Florida, has spoken out about her recovery and the lasting impact of the assault.
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Naydich, a paraprofessional, was left with five broken ribs, hearing loss, and a severe concussion after being attacked by Brendan Depa, then 17, over a Nintendo Switch. The video of the attack went viral, sparking outrage and concern nationwide.
Depa was sentenced to five years in prison and 15 years of probation in August 2024. He faced a maximum of 30 years in prison but was granted leniency due to his autism spectrum disorder.
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Naydich's recovery has been long and arduous. She has undergone extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation, but still experiences lingering pain and discomfort. The emotional toll of the attack has also been significant, leaving her with PTSD and anxiety.
"I thought I was going to die," Naydich said. "I truly believed that this was it, that I was done."
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She described the moment Depa attacked her as a "blur of fists and feet." She remembers being knocked unconscious and being repeatedly stomped and punched on the ground.
"I could feel my body giving out," she said.
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Five students eventually intervened and pulled Depa off of Naydich. She credits them with saving her life.
"I'm so grateful to those kids," she said. "They're heroes."
Naydich has filed a lawsuit against the school district, alleging that educators failed to create an appropriate treatment plan to address Depa's prior violent outbursts and behavioral challenges.
The lawsuit alleges that the district "failed in its legal duty to provide the necessary services to Brendan Depa due to his disability status."
The district has denied the allegations and said that it provided Depa with the appropriate support and services.
Despite the physical and emotional challenges she has faced, Naydich said she is determined to move forward with her life.
"I'm a survivor," she said. "I'm not going to let this define me."
She plans to use her experience to advocate for other victims of violence and to raise awareness about the importance of addressing students with behavioral challenges.
"I don't want anyone to have to go through what I did," she said. "We need to do better."
