Neighbors Raise Money For Elderly Kips Bay Tailor Who Was Robbed In Bloody Attack

KIPS BAY, NY — Neighbors of the 78-year-old Kips Bay man who was attacked and robbed in his tailor shop last week are coming together to raise money to help him recover. Apel Tamagoglu was slashed with a knife and robbed of all the money in his pocket at his store at E. 27th St., police said.

Evan Rofheart, who lives in the neighborhood and is a former customer of Tamagoglu, created the crowdfunding page Sunday.

"I wanted to be able to give him a financial cushion," Rofheart told Patch. "He is already back working, because even at 78 he has to work full time to support himself and his wife."

See Related: Kips Bay Robber Slashes Tailor, Makes Off With Cash: Police

Tamagoglu's business has been a fixture in the neighborhood for over 30 years, the crowdfunding page says. He works seven days a week, 12 hours a day to make a living. Tamagoglu told the Daily News he was going back to work within ten days of the attack.

“I have no choice. I have to work to make a living,” Tamagoglu said. “If I don't work, I'm hungry.”

Part of the crowdfunding page's description reads:

"Apel depends entirely on the income from his tailoring work to pay all his rent and expenses, for him and his wife. He was just released from the hospital, and is recovering in his apartment above the shop, but it will be quite a while before he his back working full time. The robbery is a major interruption to his life and business.As neighbors and people we should chip in and help this brave hardworking man and his family."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the page has raised $665 out of it's $10,000 goal.

At about 12:40 p.m. Jan. 23, the robber—who police later identified as John Frankyln, 53— bursted into the shop, hit Tamagoglu repeatedly, slashed him with a knife and stole $80 from Tamagoglu.

Tamagoglu fought back, wrestled the man and was left severely bloody with a fractured skull and punctured lung.

“There was blood all over the floor. There’s a blood trail going from his door all the way down to the area (outside the shop),” a bystander told the Daily News.

Franklyn (pictured above) was arrested late Jan. 25 and charged with attempted murder, robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

"I found his story to be very inspirational, he has an indomitable spirit and is very humble," Rofheart told Patch. "Imagine someone 78 years old fighting off the robber and chasing him down the sidewalk, even after being stabbed."