1 year after Baseball Tavern attack, victim still working toward recovery

BOSTON — An assault at a Boston bar left him fighting for his life, and one year later the young man's recovery continues along with his mother's fight for answers.

Boston 25 News has been following Robbie McLaughlin's story since the beginning and now we're hearing from Robbie for the first time.

Robbie can now walk and talk, but he still struggles to find his words. However, His mother said it’s a miracle the 28-year-old can hold a conversation.

"He had so many hopes and dreams and not only are those probably not going to come true, he can't even remember them,” Kathryn McLaughlin said. "But he's here, you know? He wasn't supposed to be here and he's here."

Robbie’s life was forever altered in May 2016 when he went to the Baseball Tavern bar near Fenway Park with his friends celebrating birthdays.

"I don’t really know much what happened because I hurt my head a lot so I don’t remember things,” he said.

There was an altercation, Robbie ended up outside the bar where he was found bloody and unconscious.

"It hasn't been good, it just feels not right,” he said.

Robbie spent three weeks in a coma then months in various hospitals.

Boston 25 News first showed you Robbie recovering from his traumatic brain injury at Spaulding Rehab last fall.

He's regained the ability walk and talk, but has been fighting ever since the night he landed in the emergency room.

"I whispered into his ear. I said ‘Robbie, you just keep fighting. Mommy's right here. And I’m going to keep fighting alongside of you baby, just don’t give up,’” his mother said.

But Robbie’s recovery isn’t the only fight. His mother wants justice, but said police are no closer to finding the person who hurt Robbie.

"I don’t care what it takes. I'm going to find out who did this,” Kathryn McLaughlin said. “Robbie deserves justice."

She said there were so many people at the bar that night that someone had to have seen something.

"Not only the person who did this guilty, the people who know the person that did this are as guilty as him,” she said. "I’m just so upset about what's been taking away from him. It's not right."

Anyone with information about what happened to Robbie that night should call Boston Police Crime Stoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS or you can text your information to crime (27463). You can provide information and remain anonymous.

Boston 25 News reached out to Baseball Tavern but the bar said they had to comment.

As for Robbie, his mom says it's one day at a time with any traumatic brain injury. She says it’s possible this is as far as Robbie is going to come.

Cox Media Group