GREENWICH VILLAGE — The Holocaust survivor who fought off a would-be mugger on Fifth Avenue received a proclamation from state Sen. Brad Hoylman Thursday — on the heels of a personal letter from presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Hoylman presented Gina Zuckerman, 90, with the proclamation at the senior center where she volunteers every day to call out numbers so people know when to get their lunch.
"This was the most wonderful day of my life," Zuckerman said, beaming, upon receiving the framed proclamation.
Hoylman's proclamation, on behalf of the State Senate of New York, honored Zuckerman "for her bravery in standing her ground."
Zuckerman was on her way to the senior center for her lunchtime volunteer shift a few weeks ago when a woman knocked her to the ground, attempting to steal her purse from the cart that she uses to support herself when she walks from her home on 15th Street to the center on the north side of Washington Square Park.
► READ MORE: Meet the 90-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Who Fought Off a Purse Snatcher
She successfully fought off her attacker, but suffered a deep gash to her arm that required several stitches.
In addition to the proclamation, Zuckerman also got a letter from Clinton, after DNAinfo New York reported that she planned to vote for the Democratic candidate.
"I don't like rude men," Zuckerman said in a previous interview after her attack, referring to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. "Enough rude men."
"[Clinton] was very sorry it happened to me," she said Thursday. "She wishes me to get better, and she's proud of me that I am so brave."
The Clinton campaign confirmed the letter, in which she told Zuckerman, "I agree, I don't like rude people either."
"The phrase coined by Ernest Hemingway, 'courage is grace under pressure,' applies to Ms. Zuckerman," Hoylman said Thursday. "She's someone who was on her way to volunteer here — you know her as the numbers lady — to volunteer on behalf of our community, and was attacked out of the blue in broad daylight."
When Hoylman read the portion of the proclamation noting her 28-year career in the advertising industry, Zuckerman clapped her hands happily. When he deemed her "an individual worthy of our highest respect and esteem," the petite nonagenarian burst out laughing and covered her face with her hands.
"Ms. Zuckerman's actions are a testament to her courage and her love of our neighborhood," Hoylman said, noting that the proclamation also celebrates her volunteerism.
Hoylman told the seniors at the center's lunch hour that Zuckerman's experience is a reminder that "we should all be aware of our surroundings."
"I don’t think we all have to be necessarily as courageous as Ms. Zuckerman was, but we should be sensible about protecting ourselves," he said, adding, "I’m actually going to encourage Ms. Zuckerman to start teaching self-defense courses for everyone in the Village."
Hoylman said the proclamation was a way not only to honor Zuckerman, but to let the public know her attacker is still at large.
"The 6th Precinct needs our help in apprehending Ms. Zuckerman's attacker," he said, holding up a flyer depicting the suspect — a long-haired, heavyset woman with a cane and a tattoo on her left upper arm.
► SEE THE SUSPECT PHOTO: 90-Year-Old Woman Fends Off Thief Despite Being Knocked to Ground, NYPD Says
"I'm going to continue trying to support us and try to see that you never, never get yourself in such a predicament," Zuckerman told her peers at the senior center.
Read Clinton's letter here:
Hillary Clinton's Letter to Gina Zuckerman by DNAinfoNewYork on Scribd
Zuckerman.gina 10.08.16 by DNAinfoNewYork on Scribd
