An elderly man who survived a violent mugging has warned New Yorkers that the city is not safe for seniors. The older gentleman referred to the city as a “jungle” that will soon be “non-civilized.”
Hyman Silverglad was walking home from the grocery store on East 86th Street, Manhattan, when he was attacked by a mugger who began grabbing at his back pocket.
“I get to the end of the construction site, and I see a shadow, and all of a sudden someone grabbed [both my] shoulders and starts to rip at my back-left pocket,” Silverglad recounted. “Ripping for my money, and I’m aware of it, and I try to hit his hands off me.”
“I guess he must have turned me around … slams me to the sidewalk, and starts to run away,” the 91-year-old told the New York Post.
The victim is in a hospital recovering from six bone fractures, along with another fracture at the bottom of his spine. He is reportedly unable to walk and in a lot of pain. He will also require rehab.
“I cannot walk, I’m in never-ending constant pain,” the retired attorney told ABC 7. “I had to fight for my life. Who wouldn’t put up a good fight?”
What was also jarring to the man was the realization that no one stopped to help him as he was sprawled on the ground.
“[You’d] think I was hit by a mortar shell on a battlefield. It was so agonizing. No one stopped. No one even looked at me,” he explained . “They just walked … because New York City is racing to a non-civilized area.”
Silverglad then expressed that he was thinking of moving to Texas or Israel for safety reasons.
“New York City has morphed into a jungle. Since my assault, I’m thinking of moving from New York City to a safe place.”
Thankfully, as the senior attempted to crawl back to his apartment building, three women — whom he referred to as “God’s angels without wings” — helped him back to his residence.
“No person over 65 is safe in this city. Those under 65 have some safety in their health and the ability to run,” he continued.
His son James told outlets that his father had no intention of giving up his money.
“I’m from Coney island; he wasn’t going to get my wallet,” the son described his father as saying.
Police released photos of the suspect in the case, in hopes of making an arrest.
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