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Homeless Man Who Got Boots From Cop Still Walking Around Barefoot
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 3, 2012
Modified Dec 3, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 3, 2012
Modified Dec 3, 2012
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The homeless man seen in a widely-circulated photo receiving a pair of boots from a compassionate NYPD officer is still walking around barefoot. The NY Times caught up with the man, who identified himself as Jeffrey Hillman, an Army veteran who served as a “food service specialist" for five years starting in 1978. Hillman, 54, was spotted on the Upper West Side en route to Times Square Sunday night, sans boots.
“Those shoes are hidden," Hillman told the Times. "They are worth a lot of money." And while Hillman expressed enormous gratitude to Officer Lawrence DePrimo, who bought the $100 boots with his own money, he also feels a little cheated. "I was put on YouTube, I was put on everything without permission. What do I get?” Hillman wants to know. “This went around the world, and I want a piece of the pie."
Reading the article, it's hard not to feel sorry for Hillman—he has two adult children whom he hasn't seen in years—but the cops on NYPD Rant prove it's possible. "TYPICAL OF THE SOCIETY WE LIVE IN," opines typical NYPD Rant member Crime Guy. "I will bet my pension check that either this guy sold those shoes or is not wearing them so he can get sympathy so the tourists will put money in his cup.. I hate to say this but a lot of these so called homeless that beg on the streets are frauds and do make good buck...." Pretty cynical... but we're sure you can top him in the comments!
Tagged
homelessness
lawrence deprimo
Times Square
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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