But Tuesday night was far from peaceful.
When Cabrera took out the garbage around 6 p.m., he was approached by a group of thugs who wanted money and would stop at nothing to get it.
Cabrera says the 20-somethings hit him over the head with a bicycle, then kicked and punched him.
The Ecuadorian immigrant says he didn't know what was going on, but he remembers feeling the pain and being covered in blood. The three suspects took off running when Cabrera's son-in-law ran outside to help the elderly man.
Cabrera was rushed to Jersey City Medical Center, where he got 10 stickes to close the gash above his left eye. He says it still hurts.
Cabrera has Alzheimer's disease, and his family believes the beating worsened his condition.
"I think it's an outrage," family caregiver Yolando Torres said. "It's bad, it's bad. There should be more safety for the elderly."
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Jersey City Police Department tip line at (201) 547-JAIL.
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WEB PRODUCED BY: Bill King