Maier Gustern, 87, was left in critical with severe brain damage after she was shoved to the ground while walking near her home in the Chelsea neighborhood on Thursday evening. She passed away on Tuesday.
Her grandson, A.J. Gustern, announced her death on her Facebook page, writing: “[We] have lost one of the brightest little flames to ever grace this world. I ask that you all give me a little time and space, but I want to make time for anyone and everyone who wants to know more about her final moments.”
A.J. Gustern, who confirmed that his grandmother had passed away at 11:15 a.m. local time, added: “Bobbob, I love you, you are and always will be my heart. I love you all so much, I could not have made it through these past 5 days without all of your support.”
His heartbreaking post was accompanied by a photo of him holding hands with his beloved grandmother as she battled her devastating injuries.
As news of Maier Gustern’s death sparked a flurry of tributes across social media, New York City Council Member Eric Bottcher took to Twitter to urge those with any information surrounding the attack to come forward.
“The person who did this needs to be found and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” wrote Bottcher, whose District 3 covers Maier Gustern’s Chelsea neighborhood. “Please come forward should you have any information about this case.”
Bottcher’s post was accompanied by a screenshot of CCTV footage of the woman believed to have attacked Maier Gustern, as well as a bulletin from the New York Police Department, seeking information.
The post read: “The 10th Precinct Detective Squad is attempting to identify the above pictured individual in regards to an elderly assault.”
Sharing images of the accused, the post added: “The above pictured female did push the victim to the ground causing head trauma and bleeding. Individual then fled the location heading west bound on West 29th street towards 9th avenue.”
Maier Gustern—who had trained a host of Broadways stars and musicians, including Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry and the cast of 2019’s revival of Oklahoma!—was said to have been initially conscious after her attack.
Those close to the former Broadway performer spoke with The New York Times about the attack, saying that Maier Gustern told one friend: “I’ve never been hit so hard in my life.”
According to the report, she gave the police a description of her attacker, adding that the woman shouted a derogatory term at her before pushing her.
On the night of her attack, friends said that she was making her way to Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater to watch one of her students perform.
Per WNBC, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig on Tuesday called for the public’s help in “solving this disgusting, disgraceful offense committed against a vulnerable, elderly female who was doing nothing but walking down the streets of New York City.”
Shortly after her attack, Maier Gustern’s devastated grandson said on Facebook that she was “intubated and we are unclear how much she is able to breathe on her own. Should she awake, she will most likely suffer speech problems and may be unable to move her right side. It is a very serious injury.”
“I am incomprehensibly broken inside,” he added. “I struggle to understand and cope with this world on a daily basis, and frankly this is beyond my ability to bear.
“Do what you can for your fellow human being, no matter how small. Make the time. Preventing needless loss and violence like this starts with us as individuals. We must care more for each other.”
