Donations For Slashed NYC Cabbie Would 'Barely Cover Baby Formula.'

[no limit]

Saw this on Crooks and Liars, figured it would be worth a repost here.

(CNN) -- New York cab driver Ahmed Sharif cannot bring himself to talk about the young man who allegedly cut his throat and nearly killed him last week, a taxi union representative said Sunday.

"Ahmed is a strong man, but mentally he has limits," said Bhairavi Desai of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. "The trauma he's experienced will last for a long time."

Desai spent time this weekend with Sharif. She said his most pressing worry is how he'll provide for his wife and four children -- including a 10-month-old --without a job. Sharif is receiving 2/3 of his salary, about $30,000 a year, in workers' compensation. Union members do not get health insurance or disability payments, Desai said.

"My guess is that he'll be unable to work for at least four months," Desai said. "He can't even pick up his baby because of the wounds to his arms. He can't turn his neck."

There's been so little money raised over the past few days for Sharif that it would "barely cover baby formula," said Desai who, along with Sharif, held a widely publicized press conference Friday announcing the union was creating a fund for the family. The union's website indicates how to mail a donation or give online.

"We're pretty shocked that it's been such a low amount," Desai said.

At the press conference, stitches running along the deep gash in his neck, Sharif implored taxi drivers to look out for each other. A Bangladeshi who emigrated to the United States 25 years ago, Sharif told reporters, "I feel like I belong here, I was born here."

His household's sole breadwinner, Sharif, his wife and children, ages 10 months, 5, 9 and 11, live in a small apartment, Desai said.

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/donations-slashed-nyc-cabbie-would-ba

You can donate here:

http://www.nytwa.org/

I would hope that the people that pushed the hate speech against Muslims in the last few weeks would promote giving the victim of that hate speech some much needed help.

[FedUpWithIt All]

1. It needs clarifying that the cost of living in NYC is very very high.

Thank you for sharing this.

[Me.]

2. Aside From The Support Of The Community At Large

Where is the support from the Muslim community?

[emilyg]

5. You beat me to it.

[crazyjoe]

3. wow, that's sad. what happened to his union brothers???

[Kalyke]

4. Laid off and outsourced?

:shrug: