AVONDALE — The family of a 58-year-old man is focused on getting him back to full health after the grandfather and small business owner was beaten and robbed of his car this week.
Paul Campana has owned and operated his snow removal business in Chicago for 25 years, according to his son, but he ran into trouble along his regular route for the first time Thursday night, leaving him with a black eye and a broken leg.
He was on the 3600 Block of North Kedzie Avenue in Avondale around 9:30 p.m. when three men approached him on foot demanding the keys to his car, according to News Affairs officer Janel Sedevic.
According to Campana’s son, Dan Campana, the “hands on” Palatine business owner was spreading salt and checking on one of his Chicago snow removal sites when three men came after him.
“They were looking for money, they wanted his wedding ring — anything he had on him,” he said Wednesday.
After robbing him of his keys, the three men fled in Campana’s black 2008 Saturn Outlook SUV — his “old work truck” — but not before Campana fought back.
“They got his car keys from him … but it has mechanical issues and the guy was having a hard time starting it — so my dad tried to grab him and pull him out,” the younger Campana said. “They struggled a little bit.”
“My dad grew up in the city. He’s been doing [snow removal] at odd hours the whole time he’s been doing running his business,” he added. “He was trying to defend himself.”
The carjackers fled down an alley, leaving Campana on the street with cuts, bruises, a black eye and a broken bone in his right leg, until a passing car stopped to offer him a warm place to rest while police arrived.
Campana was taken to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center and is recovering, but it could be a while before he can regain his independence — and maybe longer before he can get back to work, his son said.
“When you own your business, it’s always on your mind,” Dan Campana said, shortly after a doctor’s visit for his father. “He was just at work like anyone else and he doesn’t like the idea of someone being able to do this and take off.
“He was just out doing what he’s always done. He just wants these guys to be held accountable,” he said. "Getting him back to 100 percent is what we're hoping for."
Police described the suspects as three black men, but listed no further identifying information. The carjacked vehicle is described as a rusted black/grey 2008 Saturn Outlook SUV with an expired license plate beginning with X61.
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