A 34-year-old man stared in the face of death after a hurrying straphanger knocked him into the path of an oncoming R train in Brooklyn, living to tell the tale to the Daily News from his hospital bed Friday.
“I thought to myself, ‘So this is the day I’m gonna die?’’” said the victim, who was covered in cuts, scrapes and electrodes.
The man, who identified himself only by his initials, L.H., also suffered from a broken left shoulder, seven broken ribs and bruising of his lungs after being hit by the train and dragged down the platform.
Emmanuel Paul, 20, was charged with reckless endangerment and assault for sparking the bizarre chain of events at the Jay St.-MetroTech station in downtown Brooklyn. Paul was hurrying into the station around 11 a.m. Thursday when he jumped over a railing to a flight of stairs leading to the R train platform, police said.
When Paul landed, he accidentally bumped into L.H., knocking him onto the tracks as a train entered the station.
L.H., who is homeless and new to New York, was on his way back to his Sunset Park shelter after a jog, waiting on the platform when Paul collided with him.
The victim said he was texting and listening to music on his headphones when the collision happened.
“I seen him in my peripheral vision. He goes right into me and next thing you know, I’m in the tracks,” said L.H. “What I heard was a lady saying, ‘Oh, my God! Oh, my God, he’s gonna get hit!’”
Stunned, L.H. got up, leaving all his belongings behind, and went over to the platform, hoisting himself halfway up.
“That ledge is hard to get up. But I knew in my head, like ‘You about to get hit.’ I’m like ‘God, is this really how I’m going out? Is this really the end?’”
“I reach out to somebody, it was a bigger dude, and I’m like, ‘Can you help me get out of here before I get hit?’ Next thing you know, I get smacked by that train. I held onto that ledge for dear life because if I would’ve let go, I would’ve been under [the train].”
As horrified straphangers helplessly watched, L.H., in a standing position, was pulled along the platform.
“I didn’t lose consciousness. I really didn’t feel,” he said, attributing his condition to “adrenaline.” “I didn’t feel like I was injured. I didn’t feel like I was hurt. When they got me up on the platform, I prayed to God, ‘God help me.’”
It was Paul who pulled L.H. onto the platform after the train stopped and put a backpack under his head, apologizing profusely. L.H. immediately demanded to know why Paul had pulled such a risky move.
“I’m like, ‘Why did you jump over there, why was you running?’ He said he was running from somebody. I don’t believe that, but that’s what he said. I mean, you’re just trying to catch that train,” said L.H.
“I know he defended himself real quick. He was quick to talk to the cops, defend himself. I didn’t see no hurt, I just seen confusion on his face. He was confused about the situation. Not upset, more — how could this happen?”
As L.H. lay on the platform, people prayed over him.
The victim was immobile as of Friday afternoon and hasn’t been able to shower or eat because medical staff is worried about his ability to swallow.
“I’m upset because I can’t get up and walk. That’s about it. I can move my legs, but they’re worried about my ribs,” he said.
L.H., who moved to New York from Ohio about six weeks ago, says although he is not going to get back on the subway anytime soon, he is here to stay for the opportunities the city provides. He hopes to get a vendor’s license or open up his own business.
He has spent enough time on the subway to notice the courtesy campaign ads on the train cars and thinks they should be expanded, gates should be added to platforms and riders should just slow down.
“It means pay attention to those around you. If somebody needs help, help them. Be courteous. Help people out. Don’t stand that close to the platform. I wasn’t standing close. Don’t even stand close to the stairs. Stay away from the staircases,” he advised.
“You’re going to get to your destination, the train’s not going to leave you and if it does, you only got another 10 minutes … We need to take a chill pill sometimes.”
L.H. said although Paul was careless and should be charged, he thinks a felony is too harsh unless he already has a history of committing them.
“I feel the boy could say I’m sorry or he could realize and he could tell people his story. Like you know, ‘Don’t run down the steps because I injured somebody in the past doing that.’ I’m not the only one with a voice,” sad the victim.
“I know he’s beating himself up over it, regretting it. I don’t doubt it. I’m a firm believer in God. So I feel as being a godly man, he don’t deserve harsh punishment.”
Paul was awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court as of Friday evening.
