George Zimmerman was one of the men that came to the aid of Dana and Mark Gerstle Thursday evening. The Gerstle's and their two children became trapped in their SUV when it overturned while they were driving along the highway in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman helped pull the family out of the car.
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Dana and Mark Gerstle had scheduled a press conference in the office of Mark O'Mara, George Zimmerman's defense attorney. The couple decided just a few hours before the conference to cancel. They are afraid of the repercussions if they were to go on TV and call George Zimmerman a hero.
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"They have expressed to us that they are not comfortable doing media interviews at this time and they continue to ask for privacy," ABC News reports the Seminole City Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
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Defense attorney Marl O'Mara told ABC the family expressed to him a desire to speak about what happened. O'Mara also said after further consideration following the controversial not guilty verdict the family became afraid of angry responses directed toward their family.
"The family called because they wanted to address the media. I knew that if we did it in an organized way, it would help them get back to a normal life...But they called today and said they were more worried about blow back from saying anything that would be favorable to George, and decided they did not want to do any media," O'Mara said to ABC.
Thursday night's rescue of the Gerstle family was the first time George Zimmerman emerged from hiding after his not guilty verdict. Zimmerman was put on trial for second degree murder after killing Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old from Sanford.
Martin's death and the not guilty verdict have sparked national and public outrage. President Obama was forced to speak about the Zimmerman trail in an effort to explain why people were so enraged about this verdict.
Protests and riots broke out following Zimmerman's release from jail. Celebrity entertainers like Stevie Wonder and Madonna have vowed not to perform anywhere in Florida if the controversial "Stand Your Ground Law" is not repealed.
The jury believed George Zimmerman acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February 2012.
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