Before he was brutally beaten outside an Atlanta nightclub, Darius Miller was a well-known fitness trainer who would do anything for a friend.

The consummate networker, Miller was quick to come to a friend's aid when she was about to be evicted from her apartment. He pitched in $300 and asked friends to donate the rest.

"Within 10 minutes she had her rent," said Randall McDaniel, a longtime friend who worked with Miller at Crunch Fitness.

Miller was beaten by a group of men the night of Dec. 26, 2007, while trying to stop them from videotaping Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin's daughters.

Only one man, Apollo Holmes, was arrested in the case. He committed suicide in his Mableton home a year after the attack.

Police need more information before they can pursue other suspects.

"The witnesses could only tell us what Apollo Holmes did ... There were other people there but witnesses could not describe their involvement," said Officer James Polite, a spokesman for the Atlanta police department.

Now in a vegetative state, Miller is being cared for by his mother, Patricia Bonhomme, in their Douglas County home.

"It's one day at a time," said Bonhomme, who spends her days caring for the son who never met a stranger. She senses when her son is in pain by his moaning, but he is unable to speak. Doctors have told her he needs to be more responsive before they can begin more intensive treatment.

Miller has been in and out of the hospital with a number of complications. His prognosis is uncertain. He has a feeding tube and is on oxygen. Most nights, Bonhomme wakes every two hours to make sure her son's needs are being met. She was laid off from her job as a social worker with Fulton County.

Miller's friends are doing everything they can to make sure he and his mother get the support they need.

The Darius Miller Foundation is being formed to help the families of patients with severe brain injuries.

"Creating a foundation in [Miller's] honor would also enable us to assist in the research and development of treatment and rehabilitation of brain injury survivors," said John McCorvey III, chairman of The Darius Miller Foundation.

"Darius is just an incredible human being. He has inspired so many people in so many ways, promoting health and well-being. He befriended everyone and always had a smile on his face."

The Foundation will host the Darius Miller Golf Tournament at Woodmont Golf and Country Club on Thursday. Later, friends will celebrate Miller's 43rd birthday at Copeland's of Buckhead.

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