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Doorman Dies After Slip Sends Him Crashing Through Glass Door, Sources Say

By  Ben Fractenberg Murray Weiss and Trevor Kapp | February 9, 2017 11:58am 

 Miguel Gonzalez died after falling through a glass door at 333 E. 93rd. St. during Thursday's snowstorm, officials said.
Miguel Gonzalez died after falling through a glass door at 333 E. 93rd. St. during Thursday's snowstorm, officials said.
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DNAinfo/Trevor Kapp

MANHATTAN — A doorman died after he slipped on a step and crashed through the glass door of his Upper East Side building during Thursday’s storm, slashing his jugular vein, officials and sources said.

Miguel Gonzalez, 59, a married father, had finished shoveling and was walking down the steps leading to the entrance of 333 E. 93rd St. at 9:30 a.m. when he slipped.

Gonzalez fell head first into the glass door, shattering it and slicing his neck from his ear to his throat, sources and officials said. 

"He slips and falls through the glass window and he expired," the NYPD's Chief of Patrol Terence Monahan said at a press conference about the city's response to the storm.

Jonathan Luciano, 28, a super at a nearby building, spoke with Gonzalez just moments before he died. 

"We had a long conversation talking about the snow, the weather," Luciano said. 

"He said, 'Such a beautiful day.' He was such a positive, friendly guy."

Luciano ran over to the building after he heard ambulance sirens. 

"Medics were all over him. They were doing CPR, but he wasn't responding," the super said. 

"There was blood everywhere, broken glass. It was just a freak accident. He was just doing his job."

Mike Gacevic, 54, a maintenance worker at a nearby building, was cleaning snow on the block when one of Gonzalez's coworkers yelled for help. 

“We see he is bleeding all over and we see the glass cracked and all of that. I just saw him bleeding on the floor. I saw two or three ladies and a guy around trying to help him," Gracevic said. 

“His neck was cut a lot. He fell through the glass."

Gonzalez was transported to Metropolitan Hospital in traumatic arrest, fire officials said. He was later pronounced dead.

Residents and locals said Gonzalez had worked at the building for several decades and was looking forward to retirement. 

"He said he wanted to retire to Puerto Rico and go fishing," said Peter Morales, 54, another doorman who works on the block. 

"He liked the job, but he just wanted to hit 62 so he could retire. It's so sad."

A neighbor said the doorman "always had a big smile and a big hello." 

"He was the most friendly, sweetest, positive, happiest man," Denice Rich, 65, a neighbor on the block, said through tears. She said she saw him just before the accident while walking her dogs.

"Always had a smile on his face, always said hello to the puppies. I'm devastated at the news."

The president of the union representing city doorman said they were "deeply saddened" by Gonzalez's death. 

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children and all those who knew and cared about him, including his coworkers and the residents of his building," said SEIU 32BJ President Hector Figueroa in a statement. 

"Our union family will do all we can to support Miguel’s family in this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers also go out to all members working hard to keep us safe during this blizzard and every day.”