Retired NYPD officer Mikhail “Mike” Vinitsky, now 41, was a rookie police officer in 2007 when he was guarding a prisoner who attacked him with a metal bar. The injuries he received destroyed his health and brought on ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease reports Ali Bauman of CBS.
His only family is his elderly mother, who is also ill.
He has been in the hospital for 4 months, mostly alone until a recent social media report went viral and started an outpouring of support for Mike.
“It definitely cheers me up. The support from outside has had a huge impact on me,” Vinitsky said.
