An 83-year-old Air Force veteran pushed onto the subway tracks by a stranger at an Upper East Side station in a random act of violence is unlikely to survive, his heartbroken daughter told the Daily News Tuesday.
Richard Williams was waiting on the downtown platform for the F and Q trains at the Lexington Avenue-63rd St. station when he was suddenly shoved about 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Moments before, the assailant pushed a 30-year-old man standing next to Williams onto the tracks as well without saying a word, cops said.
“It doesn’t look good,” Williams’ eldest daughter, Debbie Williams, told The News from her father’s bedside at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell. “He is on life support.”
“We’re just going to stay by his bed,” she added. “We’re sitting here with him. We’re praying for him and we love him and we’re going to stay with him.”
The younger victim helped Richard off of the tracks, and straphangers then helped both men back onto the platform before a train came. Their attacker ran off but a suspect was arrested about 5 a.m. Tuesday for attempted murder.
“I’m thrilled,” Debbie said of the arrest.
Her father hasn’t been able to speak since arriving at the hospital.
Richard was healthy and active before the attack, his daughter said. He recently celebrated his 55th wedding anniversary and was enjoying living his life after a career making bulletproof equipment.
“He’s an incredible man,” Debbie said. “He likes reading. He likes walking.”
Richard lives on Roosevelt Island and was on his way to go shopping on the Upper East Side “like he always does” when he was attacked, his daughter said.
“Now none of that is probably going to happen again,” she said. “He goes wherever he wants to go. He’s very healthy for an 83 year old man that’s going to be 84. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with him. So for this whole thing to happen, it’s a real sin.”
Richard has three daughters and two granddaughters who are all devastated his time with them might be cut short.
“The hardest part is I can’t have a conversation or hug him again,” granddaughter Samantha Loria told CBS New York. “Any time I visit him, we walk around. We would go to Manhattan. He would always say hi to everyone, ask how they’re dong. It doesn’t hurt anything to be kind.”
“He loves to walk,” she added. “He survived a fire, cancer recently, and all he wanted to do is walk.”
The other victim was treated for injuries to his head, arm and neck and released from the same hospital.
“The man in the gray jacket and red hat threw me onto the train tracks,” Jhon Rodriguez told The News in Spanish. “When I fell, I hit my knees and my left supporting arm.” Rodriguez was trying to record the attacker with his phone when the man spotted Williams and pushed him “with great force,” according to Rodriguez.
“He threw him, and the elderly man fell headfirst onto the train tracks, instantly losing consciousness,” Rodriguez said.
“When I looked at the old man, I saw a large amount of blood coming out of his head. I became more desperate and panicked,” he said. “I managed to lift the old man and bring him closer to the platform and shout, “Help! Help me!””
A Good Samaritan jumped down onto the tracks and together he and Rodriguez managed to get Williams, who was out cold, onto the platform before scrambling up themselves, Rodriguez said.
Woman Assaulted In Manhattan Train Station
Richard and Rodriguez do not know each other or their attacker.
Police arrested 34-year-old Bairon Hernandez Tuesday after cops released cell phone footage Rodriguez was able to shoot of his attacker from the subway tracks and offered a $3,500 reward for information leading to his capture.
Hernandez is charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault and reckless endangerment, cops said. He lives in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, according to cops.