A beloved NYPD detective who was paralyzed in an infamous shooting more than 30 years ago was on life support Saturday, a day after suffering a major heart attack, NY1 has learned.
Steven McDonald was being treated at a hospital on Long Island, sources said.
In an interview Friday evening with NY1's Dean Meminger, McDonald's son, NYPD Sergeant Connor McDonald, asked the city to pray for his dad.
In 1986, Steven McDonald was on patrol in Central Park when he was shot by a 15-year-old.
The bullet left McDonald paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors expected that he would survive no more than five years. But he defied their prognosis, living on on a ventilator.
Just last month NY1 profiled McDonald, an inspiration to many for his faith, his determination to carry on, and his decision to forgive his shooter.
He's still an active member of the NYPD, counseling fellow officers to follow proper procedures.
McDonald also spends a lot of time visiting schools, using the shooting as a tool to teach children the dangers of violence. One of his messages is for people to work together and forgive one another.
Robert Boyce, the NYPD's chief of detectives, tweeted on Friday, "My thoughts & prayers for Det. Steven McDonald who was hospitalized earlier today after suffering a heart attack. #hero"