Doorman, 59, slips and falls through glass door fatally slitting his throat while shoveling snow in Manhattan

  • Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 59, fell  head-first into glass door at 333 East 93rd Street
  • Doorman sliced open his jugular vein and was pronounced dead at a hospital 
  • Gonzalez’s is the first reported New York City death related to the Nor’easter
  • The victim, who was married and had children, was planning to retire in Puerto Rico next year 

By Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:51 EST, 9 February 2017 | Updated: 15:20 EST, 9 February 2017

A doorman clearing snow on the Upper East Side in Manhattan Thursday morning was killed in a freak accident when he slipped and crashed through a glass door, slicing open his throat.

Police say Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 59, had just finished shoveling snow outside his building at 333 East 93rd Street at 9.30am when he hit an icy patch while going down the stairs to the lobby.

Gonzales, a resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut, fell head-first into the glass entrance door, shattering it and slashing his jugular vein in the process.

Freak accident: Manhattan doorman Miguel Gonzalez, 59, was killed when he fell head-first into the glass entrance door at 333 Est 93rd Street, shattering it and slashing his jugular vein

Freak accident: Manhattan doorman Miguel Gonzalez, 59, was killed when he fell head-first into the glass entrance door at 333 Est 93rd Street, shattering it and slashing his jugular vein

Gonzalez was shoveling snow outside the residential building on the Upper East Side when he slipped and fell down the stairs   

Gonzalez was shoveling snow outside the residential building on the Upper East Side when he slipped and fell down the stairs   

The president of the victim's labor union said Gonzalez, who was married with children, had worked many year at the building, which is owned by Mt Sinai Hospital and is used to house nurses and doctors

The president of the victim's labor union said Gonzalez, who was married with children, had worked many year at the building, which is owned by Mt Sinai Hospital and is used to house nurses and doctors

The mortally wounded doorman was rushed to Metropolitan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from deep cuts to his neck and head an hour later.

According to law enforcement sources speaking to DNAInfo New York, the shards of glass sliced the man's neck open from his ear to his throat.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio referred to the deadly accident as a 'very sad situation' during a press conference addressing the city agencies’ response to Thursday’s snowstorm.

The mayor added that this incident should serve a reminder to people to be very careful while shoveling snow.

Gonzalez’s is the first reported New York City death related to the Nor’easter, which was expected to dump a foot of snow by late afternoon.

Gonzalez’s is the first reported New York City related related to the Nor’easter, which was expected to dump a foot of snow by late afternoon. A resident is pictured shoveling snow

Gonzalez’s is the first reported New York City related related to the Nor’easter, which was expected to dump a foot of snow by late afternoon. A resident is pictured shoveling snow

A resident crosses the street during a snow storm in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday

A resident crosses the street during a snow storm in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday

Hector Figueroa, president of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, where Miguel Gonzalez was a member, issued a statement to WABC saying the 59-year-old doorman had worked on the Upper East Side for many years.

‘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 the building,’ Figueroa stated in part. ‘Our union family will do all we can to support Miguel's family in this difficult time.’

The residential building on East 93rd Street is owned by Mt Sinai Hospital and is used to house nurses and doctors.

One tenant tearfully recalled to NBC New York that Gonzalez always had a smile on his face and was known to local residents as 'Uncle Mickey.'

Friends of the deceased family man told CBS New York he had only recently sold his house in Connecticut and was planning to retire in Puerto Rico next year.

 

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