Mom of 13-year-old left brain dead after shooting at NYC Dunkin praying for recovery: ‘Miracles do happen’



The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was left on life support after he was shot in the head outside of a Dunkin’ Donuts in Queens is still praying for a miracle that the teenager will recover.

Sanjay Samuel, a student at Martin Van Buren High School, is “brain dead” after he was shot outside the coffee shop in Cambria Heights while walking to school on Monday morning, according to his mother, Vilene Griffith.

🎬 Get Free Netflix Logins

Claim your free working Netflix accounts for streaming in HD! Limited slots available for active users only.

  • No subscription required
  • Works on mobile, PC & smart TV
  • Updated login details daily
🎁 Get Netflix Login Now

“Miracles do happen, and I’m trusting God for Sanjay to get up,” she told CBS New York of her hoops-playing son who dreamed of becoming a firefighter.

“Nothing is going on. He’s not breathing on his own. He’s not doing nothing,” she said.

The 13-year-old was shot outside of a Queens Dunkin’ Donuts on Monday morning. gofundme/support-sanjay-samuels-recovery

Witnesses told The Post that the youthful-looking gunman pulled up to the restaurant on a scooter and got into a short fight with Samuel before he took out a gun and shot him. 

The suspect, who had an afro and was carrying a distinctive “JAWS” bookbag, then ran off, police sources said.

Sanjay was rushed to Cohen Children’s Medical Center for treatment of his life-threatening gunshot wound. The teen’s father told the New York Daily News that the bullet is still lodged in the back of his son’s head.

“We asked them if they could do the surgery to remove the bullet,” Theophilus Samuel said. “They said, ‘No, that could make it worse.’”

Sanjay had just graduated from middle school earlier this year. gofundme/support-sanjay-samuels-recovery

The motive for the shooting remained under investigation — but a 14-year-old classmate said she believes the typically “friendly” student may have recently fallen in with the wrong crowd.

“It might have been the group he was with … I don’t know if it was his friends, I just knew it was a little situation that happened that was way before. Not today,” the teenager told The Post, without divulging further.

No arrests have been made and police have not identified the shooter, whom Sanjay’s father blasted as a “coward.”

“How can you live with this? At the moment, you’re probably hyped. But as time goes by, you have to think … ‘I took another person’s life,’” Samuel said.

No arrests have been made in the shooting and the motive remains under investigation. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

Griffith wanted to ask the suspect why he shot her son — a basketball player who wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up.

Sanjay had just graduated from middle school earlier this year.

“I lost my son, and your mom lost you, also,” she said.


Let’s be honest—no matter how stressful the day gets, a good viral video can instantly lift your mood. Whether it’s a funny pet doing something silly, a heartwarming moment between strangers, or a wild dance challenge, viral videos are what keep the internet fun and alive.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Adblock Detected

  • Please deactivate your VPN or ad-blocking software to continue