Marc Weinfeld, the autistic savant who assisted downtown pushcart hot dog vendors and sold boondoggles he weaved, died Wednesday afternoon in Erie County Medical Center.
Weinfeld succumbed nine days after he was critically injured when struck by a car while crossing Oak Street during the downtown morning rush hour. He had suffered massive brain injuries when he was hit near the Clinton Street intersection at about 7:30 a.m. April 8.
Weinfeld was taken off life support late Wednesday afternoon in ECMC’s intensive care unit and passed away peacefully, according to his family.
Weinfeld, 58, who was childlike in some respects, was always willing to help the vendors and local restaurant owners who hired him to run errands, such as getting change at banks or ice for pop.
Since The Buffalo News reported that he was identified as the traffic accident victim originally listed as “John Doe,” dozens of people who work downtown have expressed shock and grief over the accident, in which no charges have been filed.
Weinfeld is the brother of Marcia Weinfeld Goode, a concert violinist who flew in with her husband, Grammy-award winning classical pianist Richard Goode, from a tour in New Mexico. They had been at his hospital bedside since their arrival last week.
Weinfeld lived in Elma with Cathy and Tom Dzierzanowski, who were his caretakers. Each day Weinfeld took the bus downtown and then back home again in the afternoon, a few dollars richer for his labors.
He was the son of Naomi and the late Philip Weinfeld, a downtown attorney.
Several years ago, Philip Weinfeld told The News: “Marc’s a good boy. There’s lots of boys out there like him and they are all good boys.”
email: lmichel@buffnews.com
Weinfeld succumbed nine days after he was critically injured when struck by a car while crossing Oak Street during the downtown morning rush hour. He had suffered massive brain injuries when he was hit near the Clinton Street intersection at about 7:30 a.m. April 8.
Weinfeld was taken off life support late Wednesday afternoon in ECMC’s intensive care unit and passed away peacefully, according to his family.
Weinfeld, 58, who was childlike in some respects, was always willing to help the vendors and local restaurant owners who hired him to run errands, such as getting change at banks or ice for pop.
Since The Buffalo News reported that he was identified as the traffic accident victim originally listed as “John Doe,” dozens of people who work downtown have expressed shock and grief over the accident, in which no charges have been filed.
Weinfeld is the brother of Marcia Weinfeld Goode, a concert violinist who flew in with her husband, Grammy-award winning classical pianist Richard Goode, from a tour in New Mexico. They had been at his hospital bedside since their arrival last week.
Weinfeld lived in Elma with Cathy and Tom Dzierzanowski, who were his caretakers. Each day Weinfeld took the bus downtown and then back home again in the afternoon, a few dollars richer for his labors.
He was the son of Naomi and the late Philip Weinfeld, a downtown attorney.
Several years ago, Philip Weinfeld told The News: “Marc’s a good boy. There’s lots of boys out there like him and they are all good boys.”
email: lmichel@buffnews.com