The distraught brother of a Brazilian architect and model who lost her left leg and her left arm when she was hit by a subway train in Brooklyn questioned the safety of the city’s platforms Wednesday.
Henrique Mumme told the Daily News from his home in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that 21-year-old Luisa Harger has gone through one round of surgery in the Intensive Care Unit at Bellevue Hospital and was slated for a second.
Harger was on vacation visiting her boyfriend, who lives here in the city. He was at her side holding vigil at the hospital Wednesday, Mumme said.
Witnesses told police that Harger appeared to suffer a dizzy spell when she tumbled to the tracks Tuesday night from the tracks on the B and Q lines at the Atlantic Ave.-Barclays Center station just before 7:10 p.m. A northbound train then struck her, cops said.
“My sister was in perfect health condition,” Mumme said in an email. “She does not suffer of any type of disease.”
He said his stepmother and brother are flying to New York Wednesday to be by Harger’s side at the hospital.
“My sister is a gorgeous woman, also inside out, and even without a leg and an arm she will keep her glow, her light,” Mumme said.
“I hope she recovers and gets well soon. She's an architect — top of the class — and a model. She is so kind you couldn't believe.”
Mumme pointed out that some stations in Sao Paulo, and in other cities, have platform doors to prevent people from falling to the tracks.
“Considering (the) many cases of dizzy people falling on subway stations, wouldn't be some factors creating these accidents?” he said.
“Like over temperature due to poor ventilation systems. Why architectural projects do not concern enough with people’s welfare, safety, comfort, integrity? People’s lives worth less than security spaces near tracks? Less than platform screen doors and platform edge doors? Less than emergency stop systems?”
Mumme said he was grateful for the emergency workers who rushed to the scene and got her to the hospital.
“The people who I really would like to thank are the ones who helped her and saved her life. I wish I could give her my own arm and leg,” he said.
Police said Wednesday there was no foul play in the incident.
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