The 14-year-old was walking on 82nd Street in Jackson Heights just before noon on Saturday, when out of nowhere, a chunk of what appeared to be part of a stone column on a building came flying off. The building column was around 30-50 pounds.
The teen suffered a severe wound to the left side of his head. Witnesses say he was sprawled out on the sidewalk and was almost knocked unconscious. Several people rushed over to help him stand upright.
He was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where he has been listed in stable condition.
Danny, a manager at the store next door, says the awning above the store on the ground level of the building seemed to break the fall of the piece of stone -- maybe lessening what already was a hard impact, once it struck the teenage boy -- maybe even saving his life.
Eyewitness News is told the Buildings Department came to inspect the building to ensure that it does not happen again.
The cause of everything is unclear, although there were high winds throughout the day on Saturday.
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