Beth Quintana was left battered, with broken bones, a slashed finger and deep bruising on her eyes by the apparently random attack and robbery attempt.
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It happened as the 44-year-old single mother of two was walking to her car around 4:30 a.m. Saturday to go to work.
She saw a man riding toward her on a bicycle "and I just got this really bad feeling."
As soon as he got close enough, he quickly attacked her, brandishing a knife.
"He said I have a knife and when I saw it I was like he's gonna stab me in the stomach," she recalled. "So I just grabbed it. And it fell to the floor."
The beating continued. The suspect broke her nose and eyesocket, and left her hand slashed, with one finger nearly severed.
The suspect demanded all of her belongings, including her purse, which had all of her money for children's Christmas presents.
"I was about to stop fighting and I was like no I'm not gonna stop. I'm not gonna allow him to get away with this. I just kept fighting him."
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With his face and clothing covered in Beth's blood, the suspect finally fled after a neighbor came out.
As Beth recovers from her serious injuries including possible surgery to her eye, friends have set up a GoFundMe account to help.
She's praying police will be able to track down the suspect before anyone else falls victim.
"I don't know if he's done this before, but I think he'll do it again."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Long Beach police.