A Turkish woman was critically injured after a man pushed her head into a subway car in New York City over the weekend, in what her husband called "an attack on all New Yorkers."
"This is an act of violence not only against my wife but against all New Yorkers," Ferdi Özsoy told Anadolu Agency (AA) while awaiting positive updates on his wife Emine Yilmaz Özsoy. Emine, 35, is an award-winning artist and illustrator who remains hospitalized in critical condition following the brutal subway attack.
The alleged perpetrator, 39-year-old Kamal Semrade, who is reportedly homeless, was arrested on Tuesday and has been charged with attempted murder in the assault against Özsoy.
Recalling the day of the incident, Özsoy noted that he received a call from the police, notifying him about the subway incident and informing him that his wife was taken to hospital.
"Emine broke her neck. She's currently not able to move at all," Özsoy said, "I came to New York in the late hours and the surgery lasted for about 11 hours."
"She fought through the surgery like a warrior. She is a woman who has broken barriers. She's a woman who has always gone after her dreams. She's an artist. She's a friend. She's the sweetest person you could ever meet in your life," he told AA while standing outside the hospital where Emine is currently receiving treatment.
He expressed gratitude toward the New Yorkers who assisted Emine at the scene of the incident, the eyewitnesses, the detectives involved in the investigation, and the New York Police Department (NYPD) for their swift apprehension of the attacker.
"I was hoping for the mayor's office to call us to check up on us," he noted.
Highlighting the significance of subways as the "lifelines of the city," he questioned the prospects of a flourishing city when an artist is tragically victimized. He further emphasized the necessity of security within the underground transportation system that connects various parts of the city.
"There needs to be measures taken in order to protect the livelihood of the people who live in this great city. They need to bring order, they need investment in the subways," he said.
Although New York City subway is the "greatest" and "oldest" transportation in the world, it is not the "safest," according to Özsoy.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the Özsoy family with their medical expenses, which have already reached six figures. As of Friday afternoon, the page has garnered nearly $195,000 in donations.
"This campaign is there to support Emine's life after the hospital in order to give her a fighting chance to enjoy the rest of her journey through this life," he said. "But at this moment, we're looking for more. It's not the donations we're looking for. But we're looking for a way to navigate through these tough times."
"I hope she is going to regain the strength in order to continue to create the beautiful art she has throughout her years to continue to make people happy to show them a side of her creativity," he added.
