A 62-year-old Asian woman described as a “gentle” person who “helps everybody” was brutally attacked outside of her Queens home in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime, according to published news reports.
GuiYing Ma was attacked on Friday, allegedly by Elisaul Perez, 33, who is accused of bashing her in the head with a rock as she was sweeping the street outside of her Jackson Heights apartment.
Perez was charged with assault and possession of a weapon. Perez has not been charged with a hate crime.
Ma was taken to Elmhurst Hospital where she is listed in critical condition but is expected to survive, ABC 7 News reported.
Ma’s landlord, Yihung Hsieh, said he felt “so guilty” and “so sick” when he heard the news about his tenant, the news outlet reported.
“I feel so guilty because she’s helping me. She’s helping me to sweeping but now she faces such an accident,” Hsieh said.
On Saturday, Hsieh created a GoFundMe for Ma, who he explained doesn’t have medical insurance and lost jobs after the pandemic, and said that her husband works for a restaurant cleaning company.
“Their son and two grandchildren are all in China. Besides her husband, no other families in the U.S.,” Hsieh wrote. “I’m here to ask if anyone who would like to help her.”
Since the fundraiser was created, donations have been pouring in. As of Monday, more than 1,700 donations were submitted totaling more than $73,000 offering messages of hope.
One person wrote: “It broke my heart when I found out about this. I hope we reach the goal and for a speedy recovery.”
“Asian Lives Matter,” wrote another.
The police said that the Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the attack, ABC 7 reported.