Magnolia rallies around Special Olympics athlete; her attackers taunted her race, disabilities

A day after taking second place in the broad jump in the Special Olympics, Hannah Geiger wore her silver medal around her neck and rushed out of her house to the Magnolia Community Center to share the news. It was supposed to be a three-block walk.

Before the Haitian-born 19-year-old made it to the center, two young men stopped her, made disparaging remarks about her race and disabilities and beat her, knocking her unconscious on the sidewalk, her family said of the June 1 attack.

Geiger, who has since recovered from her bruises, has become a household name around Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, where she lives with her adoptive mother. The community has rallied around her, asked to see her medal and even is throwing her a party.

On Wednesday, the community center's staff will hold a barbecue for Geiger, with dozens of neighbors expected to celebrate her achievement at the Special Olympics and to comfort Geiger, who said she distrusts people now, particularly strangers.

"We're hearing all these feelings of outrage from the community," said Barb Wade, a staffer for Seattle Parks and Recreation. "We want to show Hannah and her family that we support them."

Geiger, a special-ed student at West Seattle High School, said she was "excited" and overwhelmed by neighbors and strangers reaching out, but she still feels "hurt and angry" about the attack.

The attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., near the community center. The two suspects are believed to be in their late teens or early 20s with blond hair. They may have left in a Honda. No other details were provided.

Geiger felt sore for a week from the bruises, but, "I think what hurt her more was the name calling," said her mother, Ruth Geiger, a retired pastor at Magnolia United Methodist Church.

"She has had seizures since 2 years old ... from a traumatic brain injury," said her mother. "They [the attackers] could have killed her."

Geiger adopted Hannah as a baby in Haiti. Described as energetic and talkative, Geiger loves to hang out at the community center, where she takes a teen cooking class, chats with the staff, plays Wii, shoots pool and shoots baskets, staff members said. And when she's not shooting hoops, she helps the staff keep scores during basketball season.

A die-hard Mariners fan who also enjoys playing sports, Geiger has won 16 state and regional medals at Special Olympics.

"I think everyone here knows her since she is here every day after school," said Cara Brown, assistant coordinator at the community center. "She will start up a conversation, and she makes sure she said hi to everybody."

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com