Madison Heights man in coma after being beaten outside downtown Detroit bar

Roderick Hughes-Smith hospitalized after beating at the Well

DETROIT – A night out with friends in downtown Detroit ended violently for a man from Madison Heights who was beaten so badly outside a bar he's now in a coma.

Lori Becker is crushed after spending the day in Detroit Receiving Hospital at the bedside of her godson, Roderick Hughes-Smith.

"I consider him my son and I have a son fighting for his life and it's not fair," said Becker. "They beat him to an inch of his life."

It happened Wednesday night at the Well in downtown Detroit.

"He was sticking up for somebody. He didn't just go into a bar and get into a bar fight. He was sticking up for a woman," Becker said.

Family members told Local 4 Smith was at the bar with two female coworkers. According to witnesses, one of the women got into an altercation with a man.

"What would any normal man do if a woman got punched in the face? They're going to stick up for the girl," said Becker.

Police told Local 4 Smith was drunk and got into it with a bouncer. According to detectives, the fight made it into the alley behind the bar.

When police showed up, they found Smith on the ground bloody and unconscious.

"He's 6 foot 4 (inches tall) and weighs 300 pounds," said Becker. "It took a lot to bring him down."

The 35-year-old man who police called the bouncer was arrested.

Smith, who relatives describe as a big family man, is barely hanging on.

"Just because he had been drinking doesn't make it right to beat him until he's fighting for his life," Becker said. "My fear is that he's not going to come out of this."

Relatives have set up a Gofundme page to help with hospital costs.