NEW YORK – A Newton, Mass. man remains hospitalized after he was injured Tuesday in a Manhattan terror attack that killed five of his friends, CBS Boston reports.
Martin Marro had gathered in New York City for a high school reunion with several friends from Argentina.
Police say Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov deliberately drove a rented truck onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Center.
In total, the attack killed eight people and injured at least 12.
“How he escaped, not being killed. I think maybe it’s his skills as a biker, maybe it’s just his skills of getting out of the way of the truck that was behind him,” said Tom Mountain, a friend of Marro’s.
[L to R] Hernán Ferruchi (deceased), Alejandro Pagnucco (deceased), Ariel Erlij (deceased), Ivan Brajckovic, Juan Pablo Trevisan, Hernán Diego Mendoza-Espino (deceased), Diego Angelini (deceased) and Ariel Benvenuto
@HERNANFUNES
Novartis Institutes in Cambridge said Marro is a scientist with the company.
“With sadness, we confirm one of our scientists was injured in yesterday’s horrific attack on pedestrians in Manhattan,” a Norvartis spokesman said. “He is being cared for at a hospital in New York and we are providing full support to thim and his family. Our thoughts are with him, his family and others affected by this tragedy.”
Jim Cote, a Newton city councilor, is friends with the Marro family. Marro’s wife is with her husband in the New York City hospital where he’s being treated.
“I mean, it’s traumatic. We can only imagine what it’s like to lose five friends and have your husband also hit,” said Cote.
Newton Mayor Setti Warren (D), spoke with Marro’s wife on Wednesday.
“She’s really grateful for the outpouring of support she has received from the Newton community. And she’s passed that along to her husband and it’s keeping them going. It’s keeping him going,” said Warren.
Marro has two young children and is involved with the Newton youth soccer league.
David Cohen plays in a weekly men’s soccer league with Marro and knows him as a superb soccer player.
“Martin is a very serious competitor. He’s a fair guy. He always greets you with a smile,” said David Cohen. “He’s just a nice family guy and this is horrible. It’s devastating. It’s terrible that these things are happening in our country, but it’s now its personal and it’s home.”
Kristin Heyer’s children were supposed to go trick-or-treating with Marros’ children on Tuesday. As they prepared to head out for the evening, she learned the news about Marro’s injuries.
She describes Marro and his family a pillar in the community.
“Really just an engaged, compassionate, committed family,” she said.
Family friends told CBS Boston that Marro is expected to make a full recovery.
Mountain said, “The irony of it is, of course, is that this terrorist wanted to kill Americans did not. He killed Argentinian nations who had minimal ties to the United States.”
© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
