‘I knew that wasn’t him;’ Virginia Beach survivor shares story of deadly attack, forgiveness, and recovery

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    VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — Nateara Hasbrouck said July 20 was a regular Saturday. Because she’s partially deaf she couldn’t hear when that changed.

“So unless he hit the wall I wouldn’t have known that something was happening in my mother’s room. Once I heard her scream it was too late,” said Hasbrouck.

Her younger brother, 22-year-old Marques Hasbrouck, had attacked family members.

“I tried to call 911 and I was on hold for the first two times and I didn’t know what was going on. And I was like forget it and just get out of there . . . Once I got to the front door, I heard a whack. That was my back getting hit by the sword,” she said.

She was injured. She said she suffered six injuries including a brain injury and skull fracture and injuries to her shoulder, arm and leg.

“So I have a brain injury and a broken shoulder. Even if I didn’t have this leg wound, I probably wouldn’t be able to walk on my own because of the brain injury. But after that day I couldn’t walk on my two feet without three people holding me up,” she said.

Her grandfather was also injured. Her mom, Victoria Hasbrouck, was killed. Her brother Marques was shot and killed by police.

“And they shot him with three tasers that did nothing. When I tell you they did nothing it was like he was wearing a bullet proof vest or something,” said Hasbrouck.

Though she called the series of events unfair, she’s not upset with Marques.

“I knew that wasn’t him. That was just the mental illness pretending to be him,” said Hasbrouck.

Looking at pictures of her brother on her phone, she explained they were very close and spoke of the importance of seeing professionals and properly managing mental health conditions, like the one she said her brother had been diagnosed with.

“You have to go to therapy and go to doctors. You have to be consistent . . . [Those managing mental health conditions] didn’t ask for that disability. They didn’t say, ‘hey I want somebody to control me, I want somebody to tell me to kill people.’ They didn’t ask for that. Like I said, my brother was a very smart person. He was very funny. He liked to rap. He liked to draw. He never asked for that,” said Hasbrouck. “I’m actually very proud of my brother. He tried very hard in the fight and he lost that fight.”

She pulled up a picture of her mom too – a recently retired special education teacher, described as a very smart woman and just back from a vacation.

“I’m thankful every day for that trip because she lived her best life until the day she died,” said Hasbrouck.

Hasbrouck copes with that terrible day by making others smile, and says she’s reminded of life’s fragility.

“You never know what you have until you lost it. I took my life for granted for a very long time. I was lazy. I didn’t ever listen to my mom. I thought my mom was never right when I know dang well she is. So just count your blessings and love your family members,” said Hasbrouck. She knows her mom is proud of her.

And Hasbrouck won’t give up, crediting the doctors, nurses and her stubborn nature with the fact she’s alive.

After several weeks in the hospital and additional time in a rehabilitation center she is home now, able to walk without a walker. She says she, and her grandfather, are on the mend.

While it’s a long road to recovery, she’s convinced her positive attitude is helping.

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