Today I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to a person that I know in the medical community, an individual who risked his life to help someone in need and who truly embodies the spirit of helping others.
Last Friday at 4 am in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans, Peter Gold was shot in the stomach after intervening to prevent an armed robbery/kidnapping from taking place. Gold is a fourth year medical student at Tulane's School of Medicine, where he also attended undergraduate school.
Peter Gold is a 25 year old medical student at Tulane University.
Security camera footage revealed the events that unfolded that Friday morning. Gold was driving down Magazine Street when he witnessed a man dragging a woman down the sidewalk and trying to grab her purse. Seeing the woman struggling, Gold stopped his car and approached the scene in an act of heroism to intervene on the woman's behalf when her apprehender turned on him.
The gunman (recently identified as Euric Cain, now being held without bail) demanded money from Gold, who repeated that he had none to give the man. At this point, the gunman became agitated and shot Gold in the gut with a TEC-9 semi-automatic pistol. Footage from the scene shows Gold falling to the ground clutching his wound. The suspect then attempted to execute Gold by firing two shots to his head, but his gun jammed both times before the suspect entered his car with the female victim's purse and fled the scene - leaving Peter critically injured, but thankfully alive.
As of today, Peter Gold's condition has finally been upgraded to stable - for the several days following the incident, he had been reported to be in guarded condition. Police arrested Euric Cain on Monday for attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery with a firearm, second-degree kidnapping and attempted armed robbery with a firearm.
Students, alumni, and faculty members of Tulane have rallied to show support for Gold and his family as he continues to heal from his injuries. His story has been shared thousands of times, garnering national press hailing him as a true Good Samaritan.
Peter Gold personifies a genuine selflessness and concern for others that is rare to see. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Peter's story is a solemn yet hopeful reminder of all we should be thankful for in our lives.
