NEW YORK (WPIX) – It's a New York commuter's worst nightmare: being shoved onto the subway tracks.
This kind of horrific and violent act has been documented before in NYC. But on Sunday, one such incident was video-recorded by the victim himself.
The victim, a 72-year-old father, had just participated in the MTA’s annual Holiday Nostalgia Rides, which allows riders to experience subway trips on old-school train cars from the 1930s. But his life was about to flash before his eyes.
“In that moment, I was a 10-year-old boy coming off the old train, so my radar was down,” the victim said from his hospital bed, visibly emotional.
The Manhattan man, who declined to share his identity as the suspect had yet to be caught, captured the moment he was shoved onto the subway tracks in Herald Square while recording video on the platform.
In the video, he can be seen calling for help as he struggled on the tracks.
“The Guardian Angels on the platform jumped down, got me out, and cared for me,” he recalled Tuesday night.
Police have released photos of the suspect, but the victim said the attack was completely unprovoked.
“I was blindsided and crushed by an individual who was obviously mentally deranged,” he said.
Earlier this week, Mayor Eric Adams toured the subway system with homeless advocates to address public safety concerns.
“We want to be proactive, to take them off the streets before they carry out a random act of violence,” Adams said Monday, reacting to the attack.
Seventeen people were shoved onto subway tracks in 2023, according to the NYPD. That number increased to 24 in 2024, data showed.
The victim said he couldn’t move after the shove and has struggled with mobility since. He is scheduled to undergo spinal surgery on Wednesday to insert screws to stabilize his vertebrae.
“I can’t really move. I can’t really walk. I sat up today for the first time,” he said.
Despite his injuries, doctors expect him to make a full recovery.
While the victim, a retired stagehand, had to cancel his Christmas trip to Europe, he remains optimistic about the future — and about New York City.
“I love New York, and this isn’t going to change my feelings about the city,” he said as tears filled his eyes.
