By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — An 82-year-old industrial designer who was beaten and robbed in broad daylight on a tree-lined block of West 89th Street was recently taken off life support after he took a dramatic turn for the worse, said devastated family and friends.
Gerald Abramovitz, whose work is featured in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection, was struck from behind and knocked to the ground in the entryway of a friend's brownstone during the brazen attack on May 25 at about 5:20 p.m., according to a police report.
The beating left Abramovitz bleeding from his nose, ear and mouth, said the friend, Gene Koretz, who discovered the victim sprawled on the floor of the entryway.
"It was just shocking," he said. "He was lying there bleeding."
Abramovitz had been on his way to visit Koretz from his East Harlem assisted living facility when the attacker followed him into the vestibule, then hit him from behind.
The mugger rifled through his pockets and then left his empty wallet in the entrance of the building on the block between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, Koretz said.
It's not clear if the robber made off with anything, but Koretz said that his friend usually didn't carry large sums of cash.
Koretz said that when his friend showed up, he pressed the intercom button, but there was no answer at the other end. That's when he discovered Abramovitz in the vestibule.
"He was bleeding profusely," he said. "His shirt was soaked with blood."
Koretz went outside to check if neighbors had seen anything and called 911.
"He was extraordinarily optimistic," Koretz said of his pal of 35 years. "All he was concerned about is that his shirt would be stained."
Abramovitz was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he received stitches on his nose and ear. He was released that day and walked home.
But two days later he became dizzy and weak and returned to the hospital, where a scan revealed a brain hemorrhage.
Koretz said that Abramovitz did not receive a CT scan when he was first treated.
"You don't send an 82 year-old man who's been hit in the head and received stitches in two places home without a CT scan," he said.
Abramovitz hasn't regained consciousness since surgery was performed to stop the bleeding and he was removed from life support earlier this week, friends and family said.
"It's just a terrible tragedy," said Koretz, an 80-year-old retired journalist. "I'm going to miss him. He was charming, brilliant and creative and a breath of fresh air."
A spokeswoman for Mt. Sinai declined to discuss the case, citing privacy laws.
It was not immediately clear if Abramovitz's hemorrhage was linked to the attack.
Police are offering a $2,000 reward to help catch the attacker, and Abramovitz's friends plan to chip in money to raise the reward to $5,000.
"We want to catch this guy," Koretz said. "There's a predator out there.
"[The robber] needed money and he saw this old man shuffling up the street. He was vulnerable. He was old. That was it."
Abramovitz, who grew up in South Africa before moving to New York decades ago, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London, said his brother, Oscar Abramovitz, 81, who flew in from Pretoria, South Africa.
He once ran a furniture factory in Johannesburg, and designed armchairs for the Knoll furniture company. He was also a close friend of the late art historian Meyer Schapiro and his wife, Koretz said.
Abramovitz was known for his boundless enthusiasm, Koretz said.
"You couldn't keep up with him," said his devastated brother. "His thoughts and ideas came out non-stop."
At 82, Ambramovitz was still designing, most recently working on sketches for a lounge chair, Koretz said.
"We all die, but he was still full of energy and curiosity," Koretz said.
People with tips are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477.
Texts can also be sent to CRIMES (274637), then TIP577 or by logging on to the Crime Stoppers website.
All calls are strictly confidential.
