Emmanuel “Manny” Estrella was, by all accounts, a normal, well liked, gregarious young man. He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. He was in the process of enrolling in college. In short, he was on the verge of making something of himself. Manny was also my friend. When I sent my friend Manny a text message asking him why he hadn’t called me to confirm our beach outing Sunday morning, I was called back with the news of his death by his sister Tania. Our planned outing, and much more ended when he left a party in Far Rockaway, Queens in the early morning hours of July 30th, and walked to the Subway alone to take the ride home.
Though details are sketchy, the cause of death has been listed as accidental electrocution. According several party-goers, Mr. Estrella had been drinking, and refused to be accompanied to the station. Little is known at this time. What is known is that somehow, Mr. Estrella slipped off the train platform, hitting his temple on the iron tracks, and came into contact with the third rail. When I spoke to an officer at the 101 Precinct of the New York Police department Monday, the only official response was that the case was still under investigation, but it appeared to be an accident due to a combination acute alcohol intoxication and a tragic slip and fall accident. There seems to be no indication of foul play. This leads us to a sad, but true life lesson for the young people at that Friday night party, and indeed, at parties everywhere. Driving while intoxicated is not the only way you or your friends can suffer the saddest consequences.
We have all been warned about the dangers of drinking and driving time and again. Not as frequently, do we hear about the dangers of letting someone go home alone on public transit. Train platforms are not usually well patrolled, particularly in the late evening/early morning hours, and while the MTA in New York is installing thousands of cameras in an effort to beef up security, there is not always someone readily available to respond to something caught on film. According to a source within the NYPD, the MTA Division is severely understaffed, and resources are stretched “beyond the limit of safety.” Being that this is the second such reported accident involving an intoxicated person in as many weeks, the first resulting in the victim having been saved by an off-duty doorman on the Upper West Side of Manhattan just in time, it would be well advised to make sure we, as citizens of New York, step up to the plate. It only takes a few moments to ensure your friend makes it on to the train or bus safely. As friends of Mr. Estrella will tell you, the regret lasts much longer.
Friends of Mr. Estrella set up a makeshift memorial Saturday evening below the A Train station at Beach 98 Street in Far Rockaway, Queens. It has been refreshed weekly since his death. Manny’s Facebook page is filled with almost hourly messages of love and loss. The lesson of the old TV commercials could easily be modified to Friends don’t let friends ride alone.